Agroecology

Context

Agroecology as a concept has developed over the past few decades, moving away from a focus on fields and farms to include the entirety of agriculture and food systems. It has various definitions, which also differ by geographic location. Most commonly, the 5 levels of transition of Gliessman (2015), the 10 elements of the FAO (2018) and the 13 principles of Agroecology as defined by the High-Level Panel of Experts from the Committee on world Food Security (2019) are used. The main difference between the two frameworks is that the 13 principles include explicit references to soil and animal health, and that they distinguish between biodiversity and economic diversification:

Agroecology has become a comprehensive and integrated framework and practice that factor in ecological and social principles and concepts when designing and managing sustainable food and agricultural systems. As such, agroecology is simultaneously a scientific discipline, a set of farming practices and a social movement, and extends far beyond farming practices. In addition to addressing the need for socially equitable food systems that give people choice over what they eat and how and where it is produced, agroecology aims to maximise interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment. It has become a transdisciplinary field that covers all aspects of food systems from production to consumption, including their ecological, sociocultural, technological, economic and political dimensions, promoting environmentally-friendly practices and healthy nutrition, while embedding at its core the values of fairness, participation, localness, food sovereignty and social justice. It champions gender equality and community empowerment, elevates the role of farmers, and fosters local value chains, supporting dignified income and living conditions.

• Key priorities

  • Switzerland, one of the front-runners, positions agroecology as a compass for food systems transformation towards more sustainability, resilience, health and equity, valuing its holistic and systemic approach.
  • The cooperation among stakeholders from policies, science, the private sector, the finance sector, and civil society, as well as an inclusive rural community, are key elements supporting poverty reduction and improved livelihoods.

• Some key challenges

  • Despite these global definitions, the use and understanding by stakeholders vary in various parts of the globe, with usually a strong positioning from the civil society, closely linked to the human rights-based approaches.
  • While there are no minimal standards nor predefined verification requirements, tools have been or are being developed to assess the fulfilment of the principles, such as at
    • farm level (e.g. TAPE of FAO)
    • the level of an enterprise (e.g. B-ACT of Biovision)
    • project / portfolio level or during the development of a project (e.g. Agroecology finance assessment tool of the Agroecology Coalition)
  • While the momentum placing agroecology as a paradigm shift to food system transformation is growing globally, the term agroecology is not very commonly used within markets, notably related to the challenge of traceability and monitoring, and overlaps with the organic sector.

Key resources

How to Agroecology
Knowledge Hub of the SDC A&FS Network

Thematic Integration Brief – Food systems & Biodiversity
Knowledge Hub of the SDC A&FS Network

Operational Guide on Agroecology
European Commission, 2025

Agroecology Knowledge Hub
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Policy recommendations on agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition
Committee on World Food Security, 2021

Agroecology Infopool
Biovision

Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition
HLPE, July 2019

10 Elements of Agroecology
Guiding the Transition to Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems
FAO, 2018

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