Agroecology is a complexity of farm practices, social movement, holistical approaches and scientific challenges and views that is growing strongly during the last two decades. Particularly and in coincidence in the same moment that agrochemical problems, externalities in the agricultural sector and civil society in terms of food quality, quantity and typology and climate change is rising and on the table of policy makers and society.
Agroecology adopted a complex systems approach to understand agricultural systems as indivisible wholes “supported by interactions and synergies between and among biological components that enable these systems to sponsor their own soil fertility, productivity enhancement and crop protection” (Altieri 2002). Instead of focusing on isolated factors to increase productivity through targeted technical interventions (e.g. application of agrochemicals, irrigation or biotechnology), agroecology advocates a knowledge intensive focus on the health and co-evolution of the entire indivisible social and ecological system as it pertains within specific unique contexts.
Focusing in the previous comments, several others aspects on where this document could put the focus, is no only “innovation” instead of social innovation and agricultural practices.
During last decades a new movement is rising in the agricultural system related to a less consume of external inputs, synthetic fertilizers and chemical and new models of production and consume.
Complexity and Multicriterial Analysis must to be incorporated to the current research.
Main focus:
- Urban and periurban agriculture (focusing on agroecological practices)
- Agroecology, resilience and climate change
- Agroecology and health (nutrients)
- Shift to agroecological practices, food security and social economy
- Incorporate Invisibles Values (More than only innovation or Incomes)
- Put in whole value food short chains in terms of food security
- Greening cities and agroecology (Cities for food)
Best regards
Walter A. Pengue
Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento,
Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Walter Alberto Pengue