Farmers in tropical regions are often economically disadvantaged and farm on marginal soils. Their vulnerability is exacerbated by realities such as climate change, regional conflicts, and disease outbreaks (Stocking, 2001). In our efforts to address the agricultural needs of vulnerable communities, we often focus on the crops being grown. In this article, I want to draw attention to the ecological context in which that food production occurs.

A healthy ecosystem provides key services that benefit humans (Şekercioğlu, 2010). Many of these services include a positive financial impact (Kellermann et al., 2008). Ecosystem services can be categorized as one of four distinct types: supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. Supporting services contribute to the other three services, and include soil formation, nutrient cycling, and primary production. Provisioning services provide products such as food, fresh water, and fuelwood directly from the ecosystem. Regulating services include disease regulation, water purification, and pest moderation. Cultural services offer nonmaterial benefits such as spiritual and religious value, cultural heritage, and a sense of place (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2003).