Presented by Barbara Gemmill-Herren during the seminar How to Feed Nine Billion within the Planet’s Boundaries - Agroecology for Food Security & Nutrition organised by the SIANI Expert group on Agriculture Transformation on March 10, 2015. Read more here: http://www.siani.se/expert-groups/agriculture-transformation-low-income-countries-under-environmental-change

1. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
for a world without hunger
Agriculture and
Consumer Protection Department
Agroecology for Food
Security and Nutrition
Barbara Gemmill-Herren
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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• In the recent past: summary of the International Symposium
on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrtion
18-19 September, 2014
• In the future: plans for 2015 and beyond

3. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Goals of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food
Security and Nutrtion
18-19 September, 2014
• Provided a forum for taking stock of the current state of science and
practices of Agroecology,
• Facilitated exchange of information on agroecology activities in the
context of the FAO Strategic Framework;
• Produc(ing) scientific proceedings and other information material

4. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Participation
Private sector
Academia
Presenters
Civil Society
IGOs, foundations, media
Government representatives

5. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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From Hainzelin presentation; Inspired from Wezel et al, 2009
Agroecology
Scientific Disciplines
Ecology of
plots, fields,
herds
Ecology
of
Food systems
Ecology
of
agrosystems
Environ-
mentalism
Rural
Development
Sustainable
agriculture
Technologies
Social MovementPractices
5

6. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Opening Plenary
• 97% of all the farms in the
world are family farms (500
million households)
• 70% of the active farmers are
women
• They produce about 50% of the
food consumed by humans,
farming on 20% of the land
• The world produces 2720 Kcal
of food per person per day
(1800-2100 are required)
From Tittonell presentation

7. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Opening Plenary
Problems with the current food
system:
Breaking vicious cycles of food
insecurity and turning them into
“virtuous” circles and synergies
Healthy soils are linked to healthy
crops and healthy diets. There is a
variable crop response to nutrient
inputs. Where soils are degraded
there is usually a poor response to
fertilizers. This applies to 25 percent
of soils worldwide. Farmers cannot
afford to use fertilizers if they are not
effective. Creating socio-ecological virtuous cycles
From Mapfumo presentation

8. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Opening Plenary
Systems approaches: Systems need to fit the reality of farmers. The local
context must be of greater importance: a shift from “ready-to-use” to “custom-
made” cropping systems put the producers at the center of local innovation
systems, to combine technologies and traditional knowledge.

9. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Adapted from M. Griffon 2013
Natural
ecosystem
Conventional
intensified
farming
systems
Agro-
ecological
farming
systems
Uniformization
Simplification
Degradation
Regulated
dynamics
Natural
dynamics
Traditional
farming
systems with
no input
Diversification
“Complexification”
“aggradation”

10. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Opening Plenary
Up scaling of Agroecological approaches are based on enhancing interactions,
between functional biodiversity on farms (beneficial insects, etc.) but also
between people.
Smallholders and communities can be empowered through agroecology to
expand their production frontiers.
AfJARE Vol 8 No 1 Mashavave et al.
The network structure for non-participant farmers (Figure 2) had fewer dense connections
(ties) compared to that for participant farmers (see Figure 1), suggesting weak collaboration
within the network. Still, intergenerational knowledge was the most outwardly projected
source of information. Within this network type, farmers’ knowledge is usually viewed as
‘know-how’ and not acceptable by scientific research standards (Hagmann et al. 1998). Other
less common sources of information were universities and direct research, as evidenced by
their projection and few connections. Extension was viewed as the medium through which
research-based knowledge was passed on to farmers, as evidenced by the lack of direct links
between the farmer and research. Innovation dissemination was mainly through
national/private extension agents (Roux et al. 2006) or farmer unions. There were few spaces
along the value chains where farmers, extension agents and other agro-service providers met
regularly to collectively develop/share new knowledge and strategies. This subsequently
limited the farmers’ ability to realise economies of scale and hindered the farmers from
developing stable relationships with suppliers or traders. Currently, exchanges with local
farmers were mostly incidental and consisted of informal dialogue devoid of sufficient
information to constitute ‘purposeful interaction’. Generally, farmer-to-farmer interactions
were along dimensions such as age, religion and gender, a characteristic known as homophily
in social network analysis (McPherson et al. 2001; Leonard et al. 2008).
Note: Black circles indicate sources of ISFM information and knowledge, while grey squares indicate platforms
for access to and sharing ISFM information)
Figure 2: Structural layout for non-participant smallholder social network in Chinyika,
Makoni District, Zimbabwe
Besides extension meetings, other identified platforms for access to and sharing of
information included field days, agricultural shows, external workshops and Master Farmer
AfJARE Vol 8 No 1 Mashavave et al.
Note: Black circles indicate sources of ISFM information and knowledge, while grey squares indicate platforms
for access to and sharing ISFM information)
Figure 1: Social network structural layout for learning alliance participants in
Chinyika, Makoni District, Zimbabwe
The most outwardly projected platforms were exchange visits with local farmers
Without innovation
platforms/learning centres
(Zimbabwe)
With innovation platforms/learning
centres (Zimbabwe)
From Mapfumo presentation

11. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Opening Plenary
Enabling conditions:
There is a need for enabling
environments in favour of Agroecology:
for transition policies for family
agriculture, incentives for ecosystem
services, etc.
Agrobiodiversity, a key component of
resilience, must remain accessible to
small farmers as their a capital for
future adaptation.

12. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on Ecological Approaches
• Addressing global challenges in
achieving food and nutrition security
through Agroecology by re-introducing
biological complexity
• Agroecological systems are complex
and knowledge intensive
• Caring for the environment should be a
means to achieve other goals (not an
afterthought). There are win-win
opportunities to close yield gaps and
environmental gaps.

13. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Belowground interactions, and root zone management in intercropping
systems in China have been shown to influence yields up to 50%
From Zhang presentation

14. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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From Kasina presentation
Yields of pollinator-dependent crops can be increased by more than 40% in diverse
smallholder system with wild pollinators; but this same increase is not possible in large
monocultures with only managed honey bees

15. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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agroecological
conventional
0
200
400
600
800
Nica
Honds
Guate
Number of mudslides
After Hurricane Mitch,
Central America
From Nicholls presentation
Key points from Scientific Session on Building Synergies

16. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Species name Jan Feb Mar April May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Vit C Vit A
Lantana camara
Carica papaya + +++
Mangifera indica + +++
Musa x paradisiaca
Eriobotrya japonica +++
Morus alba (+)
Tamarindus indica
Syzygium spp. +++
Annona reticulata (+)
Psidium guajava +++ +
Punica granatum
Casimiroa edulis (+)
Vangueria madagascariensis
Citrus limon +
Citrus sinensis +
Vitex payos +++
Persea americana
Passiflora edulis +
Pappea capensis
Balanites aegyptiaca (+)
Carissa edulis
Available species 2 4 6 4 4 5 4 2 3 1 2 2
Hunger
gapFruit tree portfolio
in Machakos,
Kenya for vitamin
supply:
 Vitamin A and
C supply possible
year-round, where
farms are diverse
From Prabhu presentation
Key points from Scientific Session on Building Synergies

17. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on Building Synergies
• Viable food systems need the involvement of
diverse groups in food social programmes
(alliances, wider coalitions, partnerships)
• Integrated crop-livestock systems address
many synergies

18. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on People and Economics
From Vanloqueren presentation
Nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs in
Zambia

19. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on People and Economics
• Chronic health issues due to loss
of traditional diets and farming
practices
From Miller presentation

20. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on People and Economics
• The connections between agroecology, markets and the private sector
need to be further investigated and developed. Alternative markets may
help to reconnect producers and consumers.

21. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Key points from Scientific Session on People and Economics
• Horizontal (farmer to
farmer) communication and
exchange is a powerful
mechanism for uptake and
spread of agroecological
practices
• Local knowledge of
biodiversity and use, that of
women, is as important as
that of men and that
emphasis should be put on
the knowledge generated
and maintained by women
Reference tree
Before After
From Rosset presentation, above, and Salgado presentation, below

22. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Agroecology in Practice: Africa, Asia, Latin America & Worldwide

23. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
for a world without hunger
Agriculture and
Consumer Protection Department
Agroecology in Practice: Africa, Asia, Latin America & Worldwide

24. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Agriculture and
Consumer Protection Department
Key messages identified by many speakers during the Symposium
were:
• That various understandings of Agroecology exist;
• The importance of agroecological approaches in achieving
food security and increasing resilience to climate change;
Most losses in resilience are unintended consequences
of a narrow focus on efficiency, and a neglect of
diversity
• The strong linkages between Agroecology and Family
Farming;

25. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Agriculture and
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Key messages identified by many speakers during the Symposium
were:
• The need for increased research including farmer-to-farmer
and farmer to scientists platforms
• That there are no “one size fits all” solutions but rather that
agroecological approaches will be location specific

26. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Agriculture and
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Key messages identified by many speakers during the Symposium
were:
• The existence of a great number of agroecological practices
used by farmers around the world, that provide significant
benefits for agricultural production and producers’
livelihoods, as a basis for any scaling up of Agroecology

27. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Agriculture and
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Key messages identified by many speakers during the Symposium
were:
• The lack of an overview of agroecological practices and a
proposed global “census” on Agroecology;
• Challenges to mainstream Agroecology remain, but
speakers indicated their readiness to strengthen
Agroecology;
• The need for FAO to continue to provide a forum for
dialogue and to facilitate technical and knowledge-based
input.

28. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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What next in 2015 and beyond?
• Planning of three regional meetings on Agroecology in Latin America,
Africa and Asia
o Latin America: in Brasilia in June
o Africa: in possibly Senegal, in September
o Asia: tbd
• Collecting elements to strengthen the evidence base for Agroecology
• Work on farmer-researcher networks and other relevant mechanisms to
strengthen the link between Agroecology and traditional and local
knowledge
• Work on policy mechanisms (supporting EOA in Africa, TEEB, SEEA-Agri,
CBD focus on agriculture and biodiversity)

29. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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30. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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31. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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32. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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33. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Articulation of policy measures to
enable implemation of
agroecological approaches:
Including:
• Including agroecological
inputs in FAOSTAT
• accounting for natural capital
• connecting consumers with
producers; local food systems
• local government policies
• alternative seed legislation
• support for pollination services
• governance of ecosystem
services by indigenous and
local communities

34. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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35. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Valuing Ecosystem Services: How do these integrate across a landscape?
In the Philippines…
Food
Water
Fodder
Carbon
Sequestration
Erosion
prevention
Biological Control
Maintenance
of soil fertility
Recreation
and Tourism
Diet diversity
Genetic diversity

36. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Production Systems
Maintenance
of soil fertility

37. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for
Agriculture (TEEB-Agri)
Theecologists’idea

38. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for
Agriculture (TEEB-Agri)
Theaccountants’idea

39. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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Systems of Environmental-Economic Accounting,
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Casestudiescariedoutin
Indonesia,Guatemala,
AustraliaandCanada;
guidelinesunder
development

40. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans

41. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
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THANK YOU