Agroecology – a path to the future of food systems

Million Belay (PhD) Director – MELCA – Ethiopia

Coordinator – AFSA Panel member - IPES FOOD

November 2015

My view is shaped by • MELCA – Ethiopia – a local NGO working

with farmers. • Alliance for the food sovereignty of Africa

(AFSA). Network of networks, African voice, produced case studies and statement for this meeting.

• International Panel of Experts on the Sustainability of Food Systems (IPES-Food) – looking at food systems– systems wide approach, combination of different forms of knowledge and analysis of science + power relationships and political economy of food systems.

Narrative of Industrial/ High input agriculture

• To feed the world

– Focusing on production • Using agrochemicals

• Bringing High Yielding Varieties

• Using irrigation

• Focusing on high end technology (Genetic engineering)

• Agribuisness – market led agriculture

– Training farmers new techniques – knowledge substitution

What are the results so far

• Not sustainable at all – Environmental degradation – pollution and biodiversity

loss – Climate change – Social crisis – Impoverishment of people. – Land grabbing – Cultural erosion – knowledge erosion – Crisis in Non Communicable Diseases – non nutritious

food – Disempowering women

• Political and economic domination by the West and TNC

Need for a new narrative

• Food sovereignty – food system socially empowering, culturally appropriate, environmentally responsible and economically under the control of the food producers.

• Agroecology – an umbrella for

– Practitioners

– Scientists

– Activists

Change path ways

Mainstream agroecology in regional and national agriculture policies, plans and programmes;

Change path ways • Support community-based seed

systems

• Give much greater recognition to indigenous knowledge and innovation

• Incorporate agroecology in extension service provision, and strengthen the practice of farmer-to-farmer learning

Change path ways

Raise awareness among consumers of the nutritional benefits of agroecology.

Change path ways

Bring agroecology into all levels of education, especially tertiary, in collaboration with universities and colleges

Change path ways

Support the on-going development of labour-saving technologies;

Change path ways

Stimulate and support small businesses throughout the food

system to be part of the transition towards agroecology.

Change path ways

Bring more researchers on board to support a variety of research, collaborating with farmers to understand the potential of agroecology, its challenges and opportunities – IPES Food as an example

Signs of change

• Business

• UN – FAO

• Research

• Universities

• Religious institutions

• Funders –AE

• CSOs – AFSA, LVC, EOI

Dakar, 5 November 2015

Million Belay - IPES-Food

What are the obstacles farmers face in moving towards agroecology and

diversification?

What incentives are needed to support the transition to agroecology?

How can we empower local food and farming communities to value their own

knowledge, and use this knowledge to build local food systems?

How can farmers and their communities get more involved in decision

making about how they farm, and what support do they need to make their

voices heard?

Do you have any additional comments on issues that these reports should

address?

Agroecological transitions – call for contributions

Thanks

Thanks