You might have heard agroecology mentioned recently? It has certainly become a popular term of late, heralded as an approach to agriculture that will improve productivity, restore the natural resource base in a socially just and culturally sensitive way. In the face of a looming climate crisis, biodiversity losses and social and economic inequalities this sounds pretty good. But what exactly is agroecology and how can it support an economically, socially and environmentally just food system?
That is the big question. In truth there is not simple answer, as there are multiple understandings of agroecology. That is because agroecology is shaped from the ground-up, responding to each ecosystem, culture and socioeconomic circumstance. Agroecology most commonly seen as a set of principles and practices that can be applied to different environmental, cultural and economic contexts. This is both a strength; agroecology can adapt to the ever changing needs of people and place; but also a challenge; as a malleable concept there is much debate as to what classifies as agroecology.
One common way of understanding agroecology is as a science, a practice and a social movement. This definition illustrates the unique and expansive nature of agroecology in both its practical and philosophical approach. Below is a brief description of each and how they might apply to viticulture.
(Image adapted from Wezel et al., 2009)
Agroecology as a Science
The term agroecology emerged as a scientific discipline in the 1930s, initially it was understood as the application of ecological process to the design and management of agricultural systems. Since then, agroecology has expanded to include socio-economic and political sciences and has come to represent ‘the ecology of the entire food system’ (Silici 2014).
After all, agriculture is a product of both ecological processes and human activities, it is therefore important to consider the interactions between each. Take biodiversity as an example, on an ecological level agroecology is concerned with the biological interactions that support healthy, resilient and high quality grape production. On a human level this involves enabling growers to adopt practices that enhance biodiversity and making sure biodiversity is valued as an asset. Market conditions are important too, as financial viability is necessity throughout the supply chain. As are the policies and funding opportunities governments and multi-national organisations put in place to protect and reward those biodiversity.
(The different components of agroecology as a science and how these could transform the food system, image courtesy of Wezel et al., 2020)
As a science, agroecology is concerned with who guides and benefits from research. Agroecologists point out that hierarchies are often built into scientific research, where the researcher is considered the expert and the producers are posited as the subject. Agroecological research intends to deconstruct these hierarchies and give substantial weight to producer’s knowledge, essentially using research to support producers rather than shape their practice. The findings of agroecological research projects should be actionable and informative, rather than reserved for academic journals, which are often inaccessible both financially and in terms of content. As an open access and informative account Natalia Zielonka’s bird biodiversity blog is a great example of an agroecological approach to a scientific research project.
Agroecology as a Practice
As a set of practices agroecology is concerned with producing food in an ecologically and socially sustainable way, essentially putting the science into practice (Altieri 1995). With clear examples and real world results agroecological practices are most commonly thought of as ‘agroecology’. In the case of viniviticulture this might involve integrating livestock, sowing cover crops between vines or establishing ecological corridors. Agroecologists highlight that these practices should be recognised for their immediate benefit; improving efficiency, resilience and productivity, but also for their secondary purpose; enhancing socio-economic stability, enabling a reduction of external inputs and bolstering ecosystem services. It is these dual impacts that ensure economic returns are considered as important as agrobiodiversity, healthy ecosystem services, resilience to climate change, landscape amenities and cultural heritage.
(Sheep used for grazing in vineyards is an agroecological practice – Image curtesy of @koljagraphics on Unsplash)
Agroecological practices mimic the naturally occurring processes of an ecosystem. A vineyard is a complex system in which ecological processes occur, such as competition, successional changes, nutrient cycling, predator/prey interactions and symbiosis. Agroecologists aim to understanding these relationships as they hold the key to improving productivity and sustainably, reducing external inputs and limiting negative environmental and social impacts.
The design of agroecological practices are based on the application of the following ecological principles, which are reflected in the guidelines and objectives of SWGB.
Enhance the recycling of biomass, with a view to optimizing organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling over time. |
Strengthen the "immune system" of agricultural systems through enhancement of functional biodiversity -- natural enemies, antagonists, etc. |
Provide the most favourable soil conditions for plant growth, particularly by managing organic matter and by enhancing soil biological activity. |
Minimize losses of energy, water, nutrients and genetic resources by enhancing conservation and regeneration of soil and water resources and agrobiodiversity. |
Diversify species and genetic resources in the agroecosystem over time and space at the field and landscape level |
Enhance beneficial biological interactions and synergies among the components of agrobiodiversity, thereby promoting key ecological processes and services. |
(Reinjntjes et al. 1992: Taken from the Scaling of Agroecology: Altieri 2012)
(A visualisation of agroecological practices on a vineyard, image courtesy of Annalisa Motta at Guado al Melo, adapted from Revue des Oenologues 2020)
Agroecological practices are extremely localised and rely on producer’s knowledge and experimentation to translate ecological principles into actionable practices. Many agroecological practices combine traditional production methods with technological innovations and modern agricultural knowledge to produce the efficient and sustainable practices.
Agroecology as a Social Movement
Agroecology as a social movement concerns agriculture and its relationships with society, specifically reimagining this relationship so it is more engaged, socially just and responsible. This means everyone has a role to play, from producers and policy makers to civil society organisations and consumers. Agroecology requires needs to be actioned across the food system. This is arguably one of the biggest barriers to implementing agroecology as collaboration and co-ordination is required between many disparate parties.
Groups such as SWGB that respond to ecological and environmental challenges through partnerships represent agroecology as a social movement. Recognising the responsibility to minimise environmental impact, creating a platform to record and share best practice and offering a trusted mark for consumers are all actions that make the food system more ecologically sustainable and socially engaged.
Agroecology as a social movement puts power in the hands of those growing and consuming produce, giving a central role to consumers. The aim is to support local producers, processors and retailers, and build links with each other and consumers. This can involve decentralised supply chains and diversified market opportunities. Cellar door sales are a great example of an agroecological supply chain, these create closer links between producers and consumers and provide an opportunity to tell a story about the carefully crafted product.
Where can I Learn More about Agroecology?
Above is a brief outline of one understanding of agroecology. There are many other ways to think about agroecology. A comprehensive list of the various resources can be found HERE. The FAOs 10 elements of agroecology is a useful resource. It is also worth taking a look at the values behind agroecology. In terms of researchers, Miguel Altieri’s 7 principles of agroecological practice are very popular as is Stephen Gliessman’s five levels of agroecology. Biovision has used these five levels for their criteria tool. There are also other toolkits and case studies of agroecological transitions, a UK agroecology board and a European Agroecology Knowledge Exchange Network. In the context of a viniviticulture UNESCO are investigating best practice agroecology in vineyards and trying to overcome barriers to adopting these practices. There are case studies of agroecology in Italy, and the researcher Miguel Altieri has researched agroecological viticultural practices in California.
(The FAOs 10 Elements of Agroecology – Image from FAO 2018)
This is to name but a few resources. The vast amount of information on agroecology can be overwhelming. It the face of all of this it is important to remember that agroecology is about deciding what agroecology means to you, your practice, your vineyard and your community.
Over the coming 2 years I am going to try to understand what agroecology might mean in the context of the English and Welsh wine industry, what resources and tools might support agroecological practice and what the opportunities there are to create an agroecological wine industry.
If you have any questions or comments on agroecology and the research please do get in touch via lyonsc5@uni.coventry.ac.uk or leave a comment below – otherwise watch this space for further updates and opportunities to get involved.