This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
We need to rethink our food systems and transition to diversified agroecological systems that can ensure we address this twin challenge, and to provide nutritious diets to a growing population without destroying the planet. However, the country needs to scale-up agroecology and help farmers to make the transition.
A Bigger Conversation’s Director, Pat Thomas, shares insights from the ‘Agroecological Intelligence’ project, which spoke with agroecological farmers and growers to establish a criteria for adopting new technologies. But not everyone buys in to this narrative.
Philanthropy can help tilt the incentives needed to usher in a regenerative and agroecological transition that centers farmers and landscape stewards and recognizes a shared set of principles. It is possible to forge a more sustainable path. Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members.
Huberto Juan Martinez showing his vanilla plants at his agroecological plantation. He says scientists at his university are exploring adaptation mechanisms and how to make the plant more resistant to high temperatures in Veracruz, the place of origin of vanilla. Photography by Noel Rojo.
In the 19702, in the wake of the Bracero immigration program’s end, an economic downturn, market concentration, and new technological development, researchers at the University of California developed an industrial-scaled mechanical tomato harvester, which added fuel to the fire, pushing farmers “to get big or get out”.
Food that is grown with agroecological practices by small and midsize farmers, harvested by farmworkers who are paid fairly and have labor protections, and distributed locally or regionally to all communities is key to healthy lives and a healthy planet.
USDA funding should be directed toward building an understanding of the ecological aspects of our food and farm systems and integrating the diverse knowledge and practices of agroecological farmers and farm workers, rather than continuing to explore and promote the narrow constraints of monoculture-based systems.
Once trust and reliability are established, this pioneering new mechanism, combining government funding and private sector finance, could be taken to scale, thus providing a third income stream for farmers who are delivering public goods.
For example, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, convened by His Majesty King Charles, is bringing together food companies, farmers and financial actors to trial new financial mechanisms to support regenerative farming. Integrated public-private action could leverage and multiply any public investment in regenerative farming.
Producer premiums for regenerative products have begun to pop up but, as Bande notes, the financing mechanism must be “way broader” than this. He argues agroecological systems are “networks of relationships, not collections of practices.
According to Compson, “Organic certification provides a market mechanism for farmers to be rewarded and recognised for their positive efforts towards tackling the climate and ecological crisis.” Others do it so they can charge a higher price and make more profit. For most, it is a combination of the two.
Mexico’s challenge has also bolstered its standing as hemispheric leader of an agroecology movement gaining momentum across the global south. “If But whatever its judgment, the US-Mexican dispute has put a needed spotlight on mounting global concern about the consolidation of a food system dominated by a handful of biotech and chemical firms.
This is the second part of an articles series based on based on conversations held during COP16 (Cali) and COP29 (Baku) side events by leading food system actors, who explored solutions provided by agroecology. Called Resilient food futures: agroecology and climate finance for ambitious NDCs 3.0, Read part one.
In 2023, 25 philanthropies announced a collaboration to leverage investments, calling for a tenfold increase in funding to support agroecological and regenerative food systems. On agroecology, for instance, the CFS had produced policy recommendations on agroecology and other innovative approaches.
And Kim brought up an interesting point: If farmwork becomes more mechanized, the crops themselves will start to taste different, too. I hope that, during the Trump-Vance administration in the United States, we will continue to see robust agricultural research and data.
While many of these priorities – such as agricultural climate adaptation and mitigation, MMRV of greenhouse gas emissions, and public cultivar development – are important additions to improve AFRI’s focus on agroecological research, without increased funding, AFRI will be limited in its ability to address these new priority areas.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 5,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content