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The objective of this paper is to mainstream gender in agroecology, using VIDA's coffee systems as a case study. Data were collected through a mixed, participatory approach, combining qualitative (participant observation, interviews, workshops) and quantitative methods (a census of 24 men and 26 women). Results reveal gender differences across environmental, economic, social, and political dimensions. Women prioritize plant diversity, while men focus on coffee varieties and farm conditions. Both sexes emphasize economic and social sustainability, with women advocating for greater access to resources and benefits. VIDA has a gender-parity leadership promoting territorial defense and youth visibility to mitigate outmigration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the value of agroecological farm schools by analyzing 4 Senegalese cases. Pedagogical quality is measured by: (1) feedback from former learners, (2) acquisition of fundamental knowledge, and (3) professionalization. Beyond globally positive opinions about training, our results show that farm schools display distinct performances. Developing a systemic perspective is not an easy task, but having trainers with more advanced agroecological expertise is an asset. Effective training builds on active pedagogy. Post-training business establishment is facilitated when farm schools create networks in agroecology and/or offer a consequent starter kit. Farm schools could thus contribute to agroecological transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a systematic literature review to explore the connections between agroecology and environmental education. Its objective is to address the query: How can agroecology contribute to environmental education? It categorizes research into three areas: non-formal environmental education, environmental education at school, and environmental education within undergraduate studies. Drawing on the results, this paper explores the potential for dialogue between these domains and delineates the contributions agroecology can provide to the field of environmental education. This approach broadens the epistemic and methodological frameworks of educational education, enhancing their capability to understand and address global injustices and oppressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honeydew, a sugary excretion produced by sap‐feeding insects, plays a pivotal role in shaping intricate interactions between insects and plants. This review explains the multifaceted aspects of honeydew, beginning with an overview of its production mechanisms and factors influencing its variability across insect species and plant hosts. Exploring its composition, we examine the chemical components and nutritional aspects, highlighting variations based on insect species and plant sources. The impact of honeydew on microbial communities is explored, shedding light on its role in influencing the diversity and abundance of microorganisms. Furthermore, the review investigates how honeydew affects pest behaviour and population dynamics, elucidating plant responses to honeydew deposition. In the realm of biocontrol, we examine the intricate relationships between honeydew and natural enemies, considering potential implications for integrated pest management. Beyond these individual components, the paper discusses the broader ecological consequences of honeydew in ecosystems, emphasizing the interconnected relationships between insects, plants and microorganisms. The review concludes by identifying research gaps and suggesting future directions, recognizing the need for further investigation into areas with potential applications for agriculture and ecology. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current understanding of honeydew's significance in insect–plant interactions, offering insights for both researchers and practitioners in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of sustainable agricultural innovations and the alternative food movement, agroecology provides important tools to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Yet very few existing studies have explicitly addressed their linkages. Synergies among the SDGs are often examined at the national level, overlooking nuanced opportunities revealed by small agroecology initiatives at the local scale. Based on literature review, field visits and semi-structured interviews with farms and relevant organizations in China, this research investigates how locally embedded agroecology practices lead to advancement of multiple SDG targets and facilitate the synergies among the SDGs. It also highlights their motivations, achievements, and challenges. We argue that the technocentric metrics of SDGs underappreciate the application of traditional knowledge and small-scale low-tech innovations. By bringing visibility to low-tech and small agroecology initiatives, this paper advocates for stronger inclusion of grassroots agroecology initiatives in SDG discussions among researchers and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of a transdisciplinary knowledge network dedicated to supporting agroecology knowledge exchange and capacity building that is particularly focused on the sustainable use and conservation of agrobiodiversity. The network—Fostering Effective Agroecology for Sustainable Transformation, or FEAST—includes nodes in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Canada's Northwest Territories and has been engaged in Participatory Action Research activities since 2015. This paper examines the development of the network over time, including a workshop held in 2019 in and around Curitiba, Brazil, and reflects on the outcomes of knowledge exchange activities. We discuss how the development of the FEAST network has informed participants' local practice and their sense of belonging to a larger-scale, international movement for agroecology, agrobiodiversity conservation, and food system sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a plethora of emerging alternatives under the broad rubric of agroecology, sustainable transitions in Indian agriculture are caught between institutional inertia and lock-ins of its vast agricultural establishment on the one hand and a pro-active state promoting a natural farming. This push for Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), while welcome as an alternative, also raises several questions on the nature of knowledge production and dissemination. This paper explores the knowledge politics around top-down "skilling regimes" and the principles and paradigms that emphasize social learning. We explore the multiple practices, meanings of agroecology among farmers, government agencies, and civil society organizations in the state of Gujarat. The action research included a survey of practices of 250 farmers in 12 districts, interviews, and stakeholder workshops. Insufficient investments in community-based extension mechanisms and lack of collaboration between state and civil society were features of the policy implementation. The absence of innovative platforms to facilitate knowledge dialogs and learning among actors to advance agroecology increases the gap between policy goals and its actual realization in practice. Programs for upscaling agroecology, we suggest, need to embed the diversity of technical and institutional processes through creating learning alliances to facilitate knowledge dialogs across dissimilar actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroecology is identified as an important solution to increase the sustainability of agricultural and food systems. Despite the increasing number of publications assessing the socio-economic outcomes of agroecology, very few studies have consolidated the scattered results obtained on various case studies. This paper provides new insights by consolidating evidence on the varied socio-economic effects of agroecology across a large number of cases at a global level. To this purpose, we used a rapid review methodology, screening more than 13,000 publications to retrieve evidence on the socio-economic outcomes of the implementation of agroecological practices. The results of the review indicate that (1) agroecological practices are associated more often with positive socio-economic outcomes across the broad range of evaluated metrics (51% positive, 30% negative, 10% neutral, and 9% inconclusive outcomes); (2) the socio-economic metrics associated with financial capital represent the vast majority of evaluated metrics (83% of total) and are affected positively in a large share of cases (53%), due to favourable outcomes on income, revenues, productivity and efficiency; (3) human capital metrics (16%) are associated with a larger number of negative outcomes (46% versus 38% positive), due to higher labour requirements and costs that are however partly compensated by an overall greater number of positive outcomes on labour productivity (55%); and (4) the results vary depending on the agroecological practice assessed; e.g. for agroforestry, we identify 53% positive outcomes while for cropping system diversification 35%. These results indicate an overall favourable potential for farms to benefit from a positive socio-economic performance with the use of agroecological practices. Yet, the magnitude, temporal aspects, and success factors related to these outcomes, as well as the trade-offs between them, and the system-level effects of an agroecological transition are to be further assessed, since they can have an important influence on the performance of individual farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinators are critical for agricultural production and food security, leading to many ongoing surveys of pollinators (especially bees) in crop and adjacent landscapes. These surveys have become increasingly important to better understand the community of potential pollinators, quantify relative insect abundance, and secure crop ecosystem services. However, as some bee populations are declining, there is a need to align and improve bee survey efforts, so that they can best meet research and conservation goals, particularly in light of the logistical and financial constraints of conducting such studies. Here, we mined the existing literature on bee surveys in or around agricultural lands to better understand how sampling methods can be optimized to maximize estimates of 2 key measures of bee communities (abundance and richness). After reviewing 72 papers spanning 20 yr of publication, we found that study duration, number of sites, sampling time, and sampling method most significantly influenced abundance, while the number of trips per year and collection method significantly influenced richness. Our analysis helps to derive thresholds, priorities, and recommendations that can be applied to future studies describing bee communities in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples and local communities are key actors in the preservation of important biodiversity resources around the world. However, the ever-encroaching agricultural frontier and expansion of conventional agricultural practices threaten these communities, their autonomy over the land, and the traditional knowledge and practices associated with biodiverse ecosystems. Agroecology emerges as an important solution to support the continuation of agrobiodiversity, food security, and environmental conservation, but top-down solutions often do not resonate with the lived realities of traditional, Indigenous, and small-scale farming communities. This paper examines a collaborative research and narrative network developed over the past several years around traditional erva-mate agroforestry production in Southern Paraná, Brazil. It offers an example of how oral environmental history and public history can support conservation practices through agroecology. The key outcomes of this interdisciplinary, multi-dimensional research and engagement were the development of a candidacy for the system to be recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the implementation of a Dynamic Conservation Action Plan to address the threats and challenges farmers and communities are facing. The discussion explores two concepts that were integral to these processes, the creation of narrative networks and a focus on plurivocity. Both approaches ensured that the actions, knowledge, and narratives developed through the GIAHS candidacy were not imposed but agreed upon and generative through narrative and dialogue, remaining true to the realities and lived experiences of community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on an evaluative study of an agroecology movement that has been running in South Africa for over 20 years. The study applied a Value Creation Framework to gather value creation stories from key movement members, farmers, trainers, and the involved organizations. Data was generated through storytelling interviews, document analysis and participant observations. The findings show that the functions of the movement are enabled by support from tertiary institutions, government departments, NGOs, international networks and the private sector. In the initial stages, the movement's growth as measured by the uptake of agroecology faced resistance because the associated labor intensity, especially in the early stages and farmers considered it to be very slow compared to conventional methods. However, the movement's mobilization through open dialogs, co-creation and farmer-centered learning approaches has seen a gradual and wide adoption of agroecology practices by over 2700 new and existing farmers in the Eastern Cape alone, thereby widening the learning and seed-sharing network. In the communities it has reached, the movement has registered transformational gains in biodiversity preservation, social cohesion, market power, gender equality and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The claim that environmental virtue ethics (EVE) is anthropocentric appears inherently aporetic since it implies that either anthropocentrism is virtuous or the whole environmental issue is anthropocentric, thus translating vices into virtues or vice versa. Another interpretation is that both the environment and humanity are thought with a vicious conception of centeredness. Conversely, if centeredness is rightly addressed and humanity and its environment are considered as one and the same issue, the focus on anthropocentrism should also be different. By drawing on Felix Guatttari's ecosophy, this paper proposes that EVE needs to be based on a philosophical understanding of agriculture. Thus, agriculture is the organic and epistemic matrix of our relation to the environment and not merely a section of an abstract environment nor one economic area among others. The environmental crisis is primarily a crisis of humanity within its agricultural matrix. To be an environmentally virtuous human being, a requirement is to face again the burden of our absolute need for food and for fruitful cooperation between farmers and plants, not only animals. This paper discusses the importance of plant ethics and plant topology to understand the specificities of the agricultural matrix. The emphasis will be placed on plant-centered virtue ethics and reframing anthropocentrism by drawing on transdisciplinary conversation with plant practitioners in the context of a research action project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial that discusses the importance of water in agriculture, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, and the impact of irrigation on hydrological processes. It covers various research fields within agricultural hydrology, such as water-heat-salt-nutrients transport and evapotranspiration modeling, as well as remote sensing applications. The document provides an overview of published papers on this topic, highlighting research gaps and challenges in integrated agro-hydrological modeling, water resource management, non-point source pollution control, soil salinization, data-driven algorithms, and the use of remote sensing technology. It also lists research topics related to hydrology, including remote sensing, sustainability, ecohydrology, crop water requirement, drought assessment, and groundwater, with studies conducted in different regions such as China, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and the USA. The document includes a list of research articles covering various subjects, such as the impacts of climate change on streamflow, water footprint of the animal breeding industry, reference evapotranspiration estimation methods, and the effects of controlled tile drainage on crop growth. The articles are authored by researchers from different countries, including China, Spain, the USA, and Sri Lanka. The document also provides information on the authors' contributions, data availability, and conflicts of interest. [Extracted from the article]

During the 20th century, there has been an ongoing agricultural expansion and global warming, two of the main determinants influencing biodiversity changes in Argentina. The red hocicudo mouse (Oxymycterus rufus) inhabits subtropical grasslands and riparian habitats and has increased its abundance in recent years in central Argentina agroecosystems. This paper describes the long‐term temporal changes in O. rufus abundance in Exaltación de la Cruz department, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, in relation to weather fluctuations and landscape features, as well as analyzes the spatio‐temporal structure of captures of animals. We used generalized liner models, semivariograms, the Mantel test, and autocorrelation functions for the analysis of rodent data obtained from trappings conducted between 1984 and 2014. O. rufus showed an increase in abundance across the years of study, with its distribution depending on landscape features, such as habitat types and the distance to floodplains. Capture rates showed a spatio‐temporal aggregation, suggesting expansion from previously occupied sites. O. rufus was more abundant at lower minimum temperatures in summer, higher precipitation in spring and summer, and lower precipitations in winter. Weather conditions affected O. rufus abundance, but there was local variation that differed from global patterns of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shares the first reflections of an agroecology experience carried out by women - rural and urban-from the department of Valle Viejo, Catamarca, who became food producers in the context of the pandemic. The turning point was the arrival of the Rural Women Program in 2020, through which many women joined it, learning how to work the land and new paradigms linked to agroecology; firstly, out of necessity, then as a possible option. As social researchers, we are interested in analyzing that particular spatial and historical experience that does not admit copying from another. In this case, women force us to enrich existing theoretical corpus on agroecology from a situated experience that has little to do with what has already been written. Finally, the contribution that we will share comes from an ongoing research, and it is intended to show the multifactoriality of the space that occupies us, the dialogues emerged and the possibilities of carrying out a collaborative work in the production of new knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting transitions to sustainable, resilient agri-food systems is important to ensure stable food supply in the face of growing climate extremes. Agroecology, or diversified farming systems based on ecological principles, can contribute to such systems. Based on a qualitative case study of Nicaragua, a forerunner in agroecology, this paper unpacks an ongoing transition to agroecology, focusing on how the transition has been shaped by knowledge flows and intermediary actors. Using a niche development framework based on knowledge processes, we analyze the growth of the agroecological niche in Nicaragua over three phases of niche development. The findings show how knowledge processes' emphases have shifted over time, as have functions enacted by intermediaries. Dedicated, diversified intermediaries have been key in creating momentum for agroecology, as have individual actors moving between niche and regime. Agency in niche development has come from both niche and regime actors. Finally, we find that Nicaragua's transition to agroecology has been ambiguous: While the niche has succeeded in changing the mainstream selection environment to its favor in some arenas, transition dynamics lag in others. Drawing lessons from this ambiguity, we suggest entry points for broader systems change, such as market stimulation, value chain development, phase-out policies, and supportive policy in related arenas. We also point out possible actions for niche actors such as integration of financial and commercial actors into niches and creation of dedicated market-focused intermediaries. Our results provide evidence of an ongoing transition and action points for supporting niche development in (sustainable agri-food) transitions around the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: One of the major challenges of modern agriculture is to transform agricultural systems to support food security under global change. The reduction of the agricultural carbon footprint requires the development of agroecological practices and eco-friendly processes for biomass and by-products transformation. The push towards decarbonization of several industrial sector brings about new demand for bio-based products and can constitute an opportunity for crop diversification and by-products valorisation for crop fertilization and protection. This evolution leads to the study of novel agricultural systems centered around the concept of circular bioeconomy and the development of transdisciplinary approaches combining agroecology and bioeconomy to create more resilient. But what are these approaches and which steps must be taken to transform agricultural systems toward the ultimate goal of sustainability? Methods: This opinion paper synthesizes such recent advances and contemporary understanding of agroecology and bioeconomy synergies by focusing on 1) the agroecological solutions for the bioeconomy: the ecological role of crop diversification, 2) the main eco-technologies of waste recycling and biomass transformation for agroecological development, 3) a holistic approach of combinations of agroecology and bioeconomy for sustainable agricultural systems. Results: This combination is based on the association of functional low- and high-tech innovations that require life cycle analysis and a multi-assessment in cropping and farming systems to decrease their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Conclusion: The combination of agroecology and circular bioeconomy constitutes an important lever to mobilize in order to improve ecosystem services at the soil–plant-atmosphere interface and farming sustainability at the territorial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroecology is beginning to dominate agricultural policy debates with advocates arguing from within international organisations like the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization and the European Commission that its holistic approach provides the necessary solutions to the challenges facing agriculture today. This paper will analyse agroecology as a concept, a science, a series of farming practices and as a social movement relying on a recent Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy document as a theoretical benchmark. It will ask whether agroecology is a much needed global solution for our food system crisis or a political agenda being imposed on the most vulnerable farming communities. It will conclude with ten points that will argue in favour of the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a defence of ecologically based monodominance. The promotion of 'agroecology' has been validated by the belief that natural vegetation forms a multi-species 'balance' under pest pressure. Agroecologists consider monoculture crops as an artificial construct unknown in nature. To achieve this ecological balance crop fields should be re-diversified to species-diverse 'polycultures', as mimics of natural vegetation. This simple view of herbivorous insects forcing vegetation diversity held sway with various authors until around 1970. Post-1970 there was an increasing recognition of, and focus on, natural monodominant vegetation. The driving force behind natural plant monodominance, especially in herbaceous species, seemed to be seasonal ecological stress, including fire, flood, silt formation and soil nutrient deficiency. These abiotic stresses were capable both of winnowing out less adapted species, but also encouraging the evolution of adaptations to the stress (as seen, for example, in the distinctive features of monodominant mangroves and sea-grasses). The result was plant species with the ability to grow as monodominants, but, importantly, the evolved ability to resist any extra biotic pressure from herbivores – both features invaluable for monoculture agriculture. Agroecology never considered the possibility of adaptative evolution to biotic stress to allow monodominance (the 'fight' stratagem of plant species). In addition, agroecology only recognizes the 'flight' stratagem for short-distance escape (plant species 'hiding' in mixed-species vegetation). This ignores a major feature of modern agriculture, which heavily relies on long-distant crop introduction, through trans-oceanic crop introduction: the ultimate 'flight' mechanism to remove susceptible species from co-evolved herbivorous insects and disease by long-distant dispersal. In failing to understand the evolution of monodominance, current agroecological principles are without a solid scientific basis ecologically. There is still an opportunity to revise the current thinking to develop a more ecologically-based form of agroecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate around Organic Agriculture, Agroecology, and Alternative Food Networks shows that sustainable food systems have to be socially sustainable, economically attractive for producers and valuable for consumers, as well as environmentally friendly. This paper presents an ongoing project regarding an organic district in the Province of Parma in Italy, modeled as an Agroecology and a Local Agri-food System (ALAS), which is based on the integration of organic agriculture techniques with agroecology principles. To this aim, the main issues faced by the paper are: i) how to valorize local organic and agroecological products, ii) how to increase the environmental sustainability and produce public goods for local citizens and consumers, iii) how to be inclusive, bringing together different types of organic farmers. The Parma organic district case study shows to be the evolution of the concept of organic district toward a comprehensive definition of sustainability, ranging from environmental concerns to socio and economic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a regional academic network-building initiative that advocated university reforms to promote sustainable agriculture in Southeast Asia, and strengthen agroecological/agri-food systems knowledge in campus policies, research, curricula, and extension. Beginning in 2015 the network complemented global higher education responses to SDGs, IPCC Reports, ASEAN work-plans, FAO's scaling-up agroecology initiative, UNESCO sustainability programming and more. University partners, farmer groups, research institutes, NGOs, regional organizations, governments, international agencies, and donors collaborated. This new Southeast Asian academic network was an innovation to address perceived gaps in other academic networks, alliances, or intergovernmental and non-government membership organizations. It facilitated cross-sectoral cooperation and transdisciplinary discussions with representatives of both specialized or mandated national agriculture colleges or universities as well as multi-purpose universities with agri-food faculties or schools. The network lost some momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic but FAO collaborating with SEAMEO-SEARCA and others initiated some follow-up online. Nonetheless, the initiative remains an unfinished experiment in regional network-building and academic reform. The paper contributes to literatures on higher education sustainability, regional learning, sustainable agri-food systems, and agroecological transitions while critically analyzing network aspirations, outputs, outcomes, and future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the current state of China's agricultural industry, this article proposes an integrated framework for the agricultural innovation ecosystem in developing countries. Furthermore, a dynamic simulation model is constructed to analyze the game process and factors influencing the agricultural innovation ecosystem. The results indicate that industry-university-research collaboration serves as the main source of innovation within the agricultural innovation ecosystem, playing a central role in its development. The willingness to participate, cost of participation, and establishment of default fees by governments, agro-related enterprises, universities, and research institutions have significant implications for the evolution of collaborative innovation within agricultural innovation ecosystems. In order to promote the evolution of the system, agriculture-related enterprises, universities, and research institutions should establish more effective reward and punishment mechanisms, as well as cost control mechanisms. Governments should set reasonable regulatory costs and incentive intervals to actively foster a collaborative innovation atmosphere. The innovation points of this paper are as follows: extending the theory of innovation ecosystems to agriculture, particularly in developing countries characterized by imbalanced and insufficient development. A game model is also constructed to represent the collaborative innovation evolution among government, agriculture-related enterprises, universities, and research institutions, with the government as the endogenous variable. Through numerical simulation, the dynamic evolution process of collaborative innovation within the agricultural innovation ecosystem is revealed. This research enriches and expands upon innovation ecosystem theory, providing guidance for the of innovation ecology in agriculture through mathematical models in developing countries. This, in turn, promotes the convergence of symbiotic, shared, and-creation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contribution to a body of scholarship that examines teaching as a form of learning, the paper addresses a central question: What can be learnt from organised mobilisation to educate in communities eager to strengthen their unique biocultural heritage? The question is explored through an examination of two grassroots education projects in Latin American provincial locations rich in history. Studied ethnographically over a period of fifteen years from the point of view of the educators who run them, these two projects offer a unique opportunity to examine the formation and the mobilisation of value in education. I show how popular education and agroecology methods are used in both cases to face socio-ecological conflicts and refocus developmental tensions. I conclude with a short reflection on UNESCO's 2020 approach to education and its vital role in radically reconfiguring humanity's place and agency on planet Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building a more resilient response system to climate change for sustainable development and reducing uncertainty in China's food markets, requires access to historical research gaps and mapping future research progress for decision making. However, the lack of quantitative and objective analyses to ensure the stability and development of agroecosystems increases the complexity of agro-climatic mechanisms, which leads to uncertainty and undesirable consequences. In this paper, we review the characteristics of climate change in China (1951–2020), reveal the mechanisms of agroecosystem structure in response to climate, and identify challenges and opportunities for future efforts in the context of research progress. The aim is to improve the scientific validity and relevance of future research by clarifying agro-climatic response mechanisms. The results show that surface temperature, precipitation, and frequency of extreme weather events have increased to varying degrees in major agricultural regions of China in 1951–2020. And they have strong geographic variation, which has resulted in droughts in the north and floods in the south. Moreover, climate change has complicated the mechanisms of soil moisture, Net Primary Productivity (NPP), soil carbon pool, and crop pest structure in agroecosystems. This lends to a reduction in soil water holding capacity, NPP, soil carbon content, and the number of natural enemies of diseases and insects, which in turn affects crop yields. However, human interventions can mitigate the deterioration of these factors. We have also realized that the methodology and theory of historical research poses a great challenge to future agroecosystem. Historical and projected climate trends identified current gaps in interdisciplinary integration and multidisciplinary research required to manage diverse spatio-temporal climate change impacts on agroecosystems. Future efforts should highlight integrated management and decision making, multidisciplinary big data coupling, and numerical simulations to ensure sustainable agricultural development, ecological security, and food security in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry (AF) and mixed farming (MF) are two multifunctional land use systems that harbor an untapped potential for future climate mitigation, however, they remain outside of the norm. This review collected and analyzed the policy landscape for AF and MF in 19 European countries. The results show that while the policy landscape in Europe has been growing for AF, with support found within the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy and Green Deal, as well as European state polices, direct MF support is largely missing. No country assessed supports AF in its entirety (traditional, establishment, yearly maintenance) although, there are countries like Portugal, which show robust policies for at least one of these aspects. This paper also assessed the degree to which policies found can be considered agroecological, or contributing to an agroecological transition. Our analysis indicates that while agroecological elements do exist in some of the policies, it is currently primarily on plot, field, and farm level, involving input substitution or the change of one practice for another. We conclude that policies are currently not designed in a cohesive manner, and at times work against one another. We therefore recommend that all future policies center themselves on the High-Level Panel of Expert's 13 Principles of Agroecology, as well as on transformative and inclusive policy design frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The educational system plays a key role in the reproduction of gender inequality, as it transmits sexist norms and stereotypes on a daily basis. Gender-sensitive education seeks to transform educational contents and practices in order to create school environments where the principles of respect, equity and social justice prevail. The objective of this paper is to examine the agroecology curriculum taught at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Mexico. Data was obtained through a survey, content analysis of course syllabi, and in-depth interviews. Results identified an androcentric bias in teaching contents, and gender discrimination in classroom interaction. It is concluded that gender mainstreaming in higher education is essential to counteract sexism and other forms of social inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the potential of diversification strategies to achieve sustainability, diversified systems such as agroforestry are still not widely implemented by farmers, which indicates the need to further understand and adequately assess the impacts of diversification to inform the design of complex systems. In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review focused on agroforestry coffee systems, to assess (i) how current methods and indicators are used to quantify the impact of diversification on multiple dimensions of system sustainability, and (ii) to assess the impact of diversification through coffee agroforestry on multiple dimensions of sustainability. Our analysis was based on 215 selected papers and all the indicators identified could be classified in one of the sustainability dimensions proposed in our framework: ecosystem services (57.2%), biodiversity (35.6%), input use (4%), socio-economic sustainability (2.7%) and resilience capacity (0.5%). Despite the broad scope of the indicators, individual studies were found to often lack interdisciplinarity and a systemic view on agroecosystems. Besides, not only were there few studies that included the impacts of diversification on input use, socio-economic sustainability and resilience capacity, but specific biodiversity attributes (e.g. functional diversity, landscape diversity) and ecosystem services (e.g. soil biological quality, water regulation, pollination) were generally underreported. The impact of diversification was more positive than negative in all dimensions of sustainability, with the exception of crop productivity. Yet, diversified systems are associated with reduced costs and high yields can still be achieved in diversified systems with appropriate agricultural management (e.g. adequate number and type of shade trees). Key to reaping the benefits of diversified systems is that the diversity of elements is carefully integrated considering the impact on multiple dimensions of system sustainability. A better understanding of synergies and trade-offs remains crucial for the customized design of diverse and sustainable systems for a variety of geo-climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the agricultural contract through the eyes of the NIE. The article has built its analytical framework on contracts in agriculture. This choice was dictated by the presence of more than 40 enumerated forms of the types of contracts, and the research realizes that such an enumeration is conditional and not exhaustive. The need to find specific forms of management of common resources - water, land; of general products - for example the "quality schemes" known by the CAP; the need for rapid deployment of specific technologies that are needed to derive synergistic benefits from ecology and agriculture; solving the food and farming problem. The agricultural contract is defined as a social category combining: (1) a system of interconnected institutions, uniting common rules and contractual clauses; (2) market and non-market, contractual and non-contractual processes; (3) a hierarchical structure combining heterogeneous, hybrid economic mechanisms of exchange. Relying on the theory of Governance structure (GS) and the theory of the hybrid contract, the study matches the classical understanding of contract law and the procedural nature of the neoclassical organization, with the modern understanding of the economy as a system of contractual and non-market relations. A unified analytical toolkit is proposed for the subordination of relationships between companies, administrative hierarchies, hierarchies including arbitrators, in property rights disputes; market and non-market contracts, the hybridity of the technological process and the essence of the organization as a type of procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Above- and belowground linkages are responsible for some of the most important ecosystem processes in unmanaged terrestrial systems including net primary production, decomposition, and carbon sequestration. Global change biology is currently altering above- and belowground interactions, reducing ecosystem services provided by natural systems. Less is known regarding how above- and belowground linkages impact climate resilience, especially in intentionally managed cropping systems. Waterlogged or flooded conditions will continue to increase across the Midwestern USA due to climate change. The objective of this paper is to explore what is currently known regarding above- and belowground linkages and how they impact biological, biochemical, and physiological processes in systems experiencing waterlogged conditions. We also identify key above- and belowground processes that are critical for climate resilience in Midwestern cropping systems by exploring various interactions that occur within unmanaged landscapes. Above- and belowground interactions that support plant growth and development, foster multi-trophic-level interactions, and stimulate balanced nutrient cycling are critical for crops experiencing waterlogged conditions. Moreover, incorporating ecological principles such as increasing plant diversity by incorporating crop rotations and adaptive management via delayed planting dates and adjustments in nutrient management will be critical for fostering climate resilience in row-crop agriculture moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review paper is to identify the production trends of shrimp and rice farming systems and associated hydrobiological parameters such as salinity in the coastal districts of Bangladesh. An intensive literature review has been conducted to explore salt stress-driven land use change, crop production, and changing ecosystem hydrobiology to adapt climate change impact from 2012–2022. The results indicate that a gradual extension of salt-driven land use and land cover (LULC) change has stressed agricultural production to a greater extent from 1973 to 2022 due to the high level of salinity. The unplanned expansion of shrimp culture is creating adverse consequences for the coastal ecosystem. Some suggestions have been proposed by analysing the mechanisms of crops' response to salt stress, including several physiological, biochemical, and molecular bases to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity on agricultural production. Alternatively, prawn, shrimp, and crab have similar or slightly higher economic outputs, except for the crop-based agricultural system, which is highly affected by salinity rise. However, due to low input costs, low maintenance, and less environmental impact, farmers are shifting towards crab fattening and thus changing the hydrobiology of coastal land use and land cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agri-food system transitions are a considerable challenge requiring stakeholder alignment on what changes need to be made and how. When stakeholders do not agree on the goals or methods of a transition, this can be a serious obstacle to success. This paper analyzes 42 vision documents for the future of Dutch agriculture from a broad range of stakeholders to determine stakeholder alignment using an inductive coding approach. We identified 23 issues as the main challenges for the transition in these documents. We are the first to categorize them according to a recently proposed problem-solution space for wicked problems. Stakeholders were fully aligned in recognizing the problem for the majority of issues, but showed agreement on solutions for less than a quarter. For the issues of international orientation, sector size, and farm business models, we found a lack of consensus on the problem, indicating fundamental disagreement about the type of agricultural sector desired by stakeholders. The apparent consensus on environmental and social issues provides clear societal expectations for agronomic development and innovation, while the divergence on economic issues highlights the rift between growth-oriented paradigms and more holistic paradigms like agroecology. The crucial empirical novelty of this paper is that progress on environmental and social matters is restricted by divergent views on the economic characteristics of a future agri-food system, adding further complexity to mission-oriented transition and innovation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese farming culture mostly starts from the angles of geography, history, sociology and folklore. However, there are relatively few systematic studies on farming culture from the perspective of landscape science, and the research direction mainly focuses on the concept, type, characteristics, function, and operation mode of farming culture. Under the background of the concept of agricultural ecology, it is necessary to improve the effect of the landscape design of agricultural theme parks. With the support of ecological concepts, this paper analyses the background requirements, public needs, design principles, design objectives, design essentials, and design elements of the agricultural theme park design based on the sustainable development and agricultural economic concepts. Moreover, this paper combines case studies to analyse the landscape design of agricultural theme park. From the design effect, it can be seen that the design method proposed in this paper has a certain effect, which can provide a reference for the subsequent landscape design of agricultural theme park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) mainly occurs in the tropical Pacific Ocean every a few years. But it affects the climate around the world and has a dramatic impact on the development of ecology and agriculture. The analysis and prediction of ENSO become particularly important for meteorology and disaster management. However, due to insufficient data, spring predictability barrier (SPB), and model uncertainty, traditional analysis models face challenges. To address these issues, researchers begin to apply deep learning (DL) technologies to ENSO research, exploring the impact of ENSO on the world's extreme climate changes. In recent years, deep learning-based methods have obtained impressive progress with more accurate and effective predictions of ENSO. In this paper, we summarize the attempts of DL technologies in predicting ENSO. We first introduce the properties of ENSO, followed by the architecture introduction of DL technologies and their application to ENSO. We then investigate the potential of DL technologies for ENSO prediction from various aspects, including model evaluation metrics, prediction algorithms, overcoming SPB and prediction uncertainty. Finally, we provide discussions on the future trends and challenges of using DL technologies for ENSO prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of soils in agroecosystems with microplastics (MPs) is of increasing concern. The contamination of the environment/farmland soils with MPs (1 µm to 5 mm sized particles) and nanoplastics (NPs; <1 µm sized particles) is causing numerous effects on ecological soil functions and human health. MPs enter the soil via several sources, either from intentional plastic use (e.g., plastic mulch, plastic greenhouses, plastic‐coated products) or indirectly from the input of sewage sludge, compost, or irrigation water that is contaminated with plastic. Once in the soil, plastic debris can have various impacts such as changes in soil functions and physicochemical properties and it affects soil organisms due to its toxic behavior. This review paper describes the different effects of plastic waste to understand the consequences for agricultural productivity. Furthermore, we identify knowledge gaps and highlight the required approaches, indicating future research directions on sources, transport, and fate of MPs in soils to improve our understanding of various unspecified abiotic and biotic impacts of MP pollution in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to (a) identify, describe and analyse the socio-productive diversity observed in an alternative agrarian model; and to (b) identify and discuss its most important features, focusing on an agroecological type of production, in the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). The results help to describe the main characteristics of farmers linked to agroecology from which the main productive types can be classified. The four primary analytical axes are: socio-productive heterogeneity, agroecological transitions, socio-productive innovation, and technological hybridisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study shows an understanding of the perceptions of the pesticide theme by graduates of the Nature Science course of the Intercultural Indigenous Faculty of a public university, without directly addressing environmental issues and the health of farmers and their families: intoxication, cancer, depression, among other diseases. The data were collected from course completion papers produced by graduate students from the Nature Sciences course as a partial result of the doctoral thesis in the Postgraduate Course in Science Teaching of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS). To clarify the results, the methodology of Discursive Textual Analysis (DTA) was used, and it was possible to observe that the farmer's low level of education interferes both in the perception of the risks and in the use of pesticides. Furthermore, they do not use individual protection equipment (PPEs) and, consequently, apply pesticides on a large scale, without knowledge of the toxicity level, contributing to the monoculture practices within the agribusiness activities. This result contributed to rethinking the initial training of teachers of rural schools, supported by Paulo Freire's theory, as a way to raise awareness and critical reflection on the risks of exposure to pesticides in order to promote sustainable agroecological practices and strengthen the debate on Education of in/the the Field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex network theory has been increasingly used in various research areas, including agroecosystems. This paper summarizes the basic concepts and approaches commonly used in complex network theory, and then reviews recent studies on the applications in agroecosystems of three types of common ecological networks, i.e., food webs, pollination networks and microbial co-occurrence networks. In general, agricultural intensification is considered to be a key driver of the change of agroecosystems. It causes the simplification of landscape, leads to the loss of biocontrol through cascading effect in food webs, and also reduces the complexity and connectance of soil food webs. For pollination networks, agricultural intensification impaired the robustness by reducing specialization and enhancing generality. The microbial co-occurrence networks with high connectance and low modularity generally corresponded to high efficiency in utilization of nutrients, and high resistance to crop pathogens. This review aims to show the readers the advances of ecological networks in agroecosystems and inspire the researchers to conduct their studies in a new network perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the importance of permanent grasslands (PG) for the conservation of high nature value habitats is often acknowledged, their role in most of the main sustainable food system scenarios published in the last few years is less explicit. In the best case, the place of permanent grassland in scenarios and policy agendas is their conservation; in the worst one, they are simply replaced by afforested land or cropland, considered as a better option when the focus is on GHG emissions only. In this paper, we defend the idea that several misinterpretations of the positive and negative impacts of ruminants, the 'natural' users of PG, explain why ruminants are poorly addressed by most scenarios. Based on the findings of an agroecological scenario for Europe—TYFA, standing for Ten Years For Agroecology—in which extensive permanent grassland and ruminants together play a prominent role for biodiversity conservation, nitrogen cycling and climate change mitigation and adaptation, we call for a research agenda that would better inform the specific role of PG in the provision of ecosystem services—and in particular those that depend on nitrogen management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the concept of circular economy, this paper plans the agricultural production bases in the suburbs of the city, combines agricultural ecology to construct agricultural functional production bases suitable for current needs, and designs and plans the agricultural bases. Moreover, this paper uses the methods of field investigation, theoretical analysis and case design to conduct research. Supported by the concept of circular economy, this paper combines intelligent planning technology to construct an agricultural production base architectural planning system, and through the evaluation of present exhaustive circumstance of the arranging and design of ecological agricultural sightseeing park, a fundamental comprehension has been built. Next to studying the planning and design, this paper proposes a model appropriate for the arranging and design of the urban suburban ecological agricultural sightseeing park at the area scale. Finally, this paper completes the basic planning of the agricultural production base through case analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative food systems and networks, which have emerged around the world, are often fragmentary, reduced in size and frequently unfold in parallel, hardly linked to each other. Agroecology faces the challenge of scaling up these initiatives to gain size and a significant impact on food production and consumption. Within the agroecological movement, however, diverse conceptions exist of what a sustainable food system should be. It is thus necessary to reach an extensive consensus, from the perspective of agroecology, on the principles guiding the construction of such a system. This paper discusses the principles that would best steer the building of Agroecology-based Local Agri-food Systems (ALAS). To this end, a critical review of the scientific literature on alternative food networks and systems was performed. In so doing, we highlighted the aspects that one could consider as purely agroecological in nature and sought to bring them together to form a coherent proposal. Consequently, the present paper systematizes the main contributions of literature on alternative food networks and systems, taking into account the characteristics of sustainability from an agroecology viewpoint, and identifies the issues requiring further development. Several principles are proposed to define local food systems, based on the four dimensions of sustainability: environmental health, economic viability, social equity and the right to decide what, how and for whom food is produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffea (Gentianales: Rubiaceae) is an economic plant considering its production income and the number of people that depend on it for their daily livelihoods. Tropical regions predicted to face severe challenges related to climate change impacts often grow coffee. Like other crops, coffee benefits from many ecosystem services, mainly regulating and supporting ecosystem services that play a role in production. Since the emergence of coffee pests and diseases, there have been two primary control techniques: pesticide application and crops management techniques. In most cases, chemical control is nearly ineffective and associated with pesticide resistance, environmental pollution, chemical hazards, and resurgence. This paper reviews management systems and coffee resistance. Studies show that management systems and plant resistance can maintain functional pest and disease regulatory ecosystem services within coffee plantations. We also evaluate how pest and disease regulation services can behave in climate change. The literature shows that managing coffee farms and plant resistance can mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on pest and disease regulation services. Therefore, they can maintain functional ecosystem services and help farmers in tropical areas adapt and be resilient to changing environmental conditions. It is crucial to update these ecological and environmentally friendly control techniques and understand how they will perform under future climate change. Based on the reviewed literature, we identify knowledge gaps and suggest three priority studies in this substantial area of future research. Finding solutions could enhance farmers' perception of interactions between regulation services and climate change and could support ensuring food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blending agricultural education (AE) and environmental education (EE) frameworks is a promising pathway towards the goals of boosting environmental engagement and support for local agricultural systems among broad public audiences. However, thoughtful and intentional collaboration between researchers is needed to facilitate these outcomes. We feel it is important to collapse existing disciplinary walls between AE and EE to effectively reposition both as critical public goods and address inequitable access to environmental and agricultural knowledge among the next generation. In this paper, we outline the historical context for the silos between U.S.-based AE and EE programmatic and research practice. We then present a new collaborative structure for scholars in both fields to work together to build agricultural and environmental literacy in support of environmentally sustainable, economically robust, and socially responsible agroecosystems. Ultimately, we aim to create structures for broader and more collaborative efforts through which to improve agricultural and environmental literacy for new generations of learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the various appropriations of the term agroecology, which, according to the bibliography, emerged in the 1930s in the context of agronomic studies on the optimization of agricultural production. In the 1960s, after the critique of the modernization of agriculture and its devastating effects, the meaning of agroecology shifted to insurgent spatial practices. A quantitative-qualitative analysis of the current use of the term in Brazilian academic journals of different scientific disciplines shows that the main focus is technical-environmental, thus revealing an understanding of a debilitated and depoliticized agroecology that allows the notion to be used in the opposite sense defended by social movements: the affirmation of a "sustainable green revolution" through the certification of Agribusiness 4.0, as it is being discussed at the international level, in the face of the dramatic rates of deforestation in the Amazon, represents an example of this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to generate solid and harmonized evidence on the level of agroecological transition of biodistricts, by looking at several characteristics such as a biodiverse environment, inclusive societal and cultural values, sustainable economic development, sound governance systems and organic, regenerative agricultural practices. We analyze the level of agroecological transition of three specific biodistricts in Italy on the territories where they are present: the case studies are in Casentino, Chianti, and Trento. We aim to understand to which extent the members within a biodistrict and, in general, the biodistrict as a community are promoting agroecology. The application of the CAET-TAPE assessment from FAO shows that the biodistricts are performing solidly on agroecological transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How the "experimental fields" are constituted and functioning in the high school curriculum? What is its importance and contribution to the training of young peasants from settlement areas in a semiarid region? Based on these questions, we seek to comprehend the constitution and functioning of the experimental field in the curriculum of the João dos Santos de Oliveira State High School, highlighting its importance for the training of peasant students from the Semi-Arid region. The theoretical contribution of the paper is based on the studies of Caldart (2009) and Molina (1999), about Rural Education; Souza, Nascimento e Silva (2013) regarding High School; Veiga (1998) and Vasconcelos (2002) relating to Political Pedagogical Project; Moreira e Silva (1994), and Reis and Rocha (2019) in the discussion on curriculum and semiarid context. The pedagogy of the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (2006) is also a central reference for this discussion. The paper is the result of qualitative research, documental data, which the main source is the Pedagogical Political Project of the referred school and some pedagogical reports. The study points out that the Experimental Fields make it possible to: narrowing the school's pedagogical work in the context of agroecology with the agroecological practice of the students' families; greater knowledge and renewal of agriculture and appropriate small livestock practices to the semi-arid region carried out in the communities of the region; greater knowledge of the origin of the community's seeds and encouragement for the preservation of the Creole seed. Thus, the Experimental Fields constitute a place of ex-perimentum of educational practices of coexistence with the semi-arid region, starting from the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Río de la Plata Grasslands (RPG) are one of the largest areas of open ecosystems (grasslands, shrublands and savannas) in the world. Historically, these systems have experienced, and continue to experience, an enormous loss of natural habitats. Moreover, their importance has been largely invisible in comparison to forested systems. The remaining area of open ecosystems in the RPG region varies according to the source from 38 to 58% of the original area. Open Ecosystems (OE) are a special case of agroecosystems because they can combine the supply of both provisioning and regulating and supporting ecosystem services (ES). Preserving the provision of ES in these natural habitats depends, in part, on understanding the role of the two main disturbances operating in them: grazing and fire. Although these two disturbances are natural components of OE, both are manipulated by humans. In this paper we reviewed the role played by fire and grazing in the structure and functioning of the RPG starting from the late Pleistocene and Holocene, and summarizing current evidence on the effects of fire and grazing on vegetation, fauna and biogeochemical processes. The evidence indicates that among agricultural activities, direct grazing systems in OE have the lowest environmental footprint. At the same time are the key for habitat preservation and ES supply. Overall, the OE of the RPG still represent a high proportion of the area, are capable of covering 2.5% of the world's population needs of high quality protein and, at the same time, guarding the regulation of key processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of improved technology, new high-yielding varieties, mechanization, enhanced use of chemical and fertilizers led to increased wheat yields, but this development adversely affected agroecology and labor demands in agriculture. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most important crop plants, with a significant dietary importance, all due to the high carbohydrate and protein content of the grain and the ratio between them, which satisfies the requirements of human nutrition. Also, it is one of the ancient crops of agronomic importance, having been taken into cultivation by man about 10-12 thousand years B.C. In Romania, wheat cultivation dates back more than 2500 years. On the shores of the Black Sea, on the sites of ancient cities, coins have been found with the image of the goddess Demeter inscribed on one side and wheat ears on the other. The objectives of the research paper are the DNA-based genetic analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and einkorn (Triticum monococcum) cultivars belonging to different subspecies or varieties. This study used 50 wheat genotypes, containing local populations, varieties and breeding material provided by the Vegetal Genetic Resources Bank "Mihai Cristea" Suceava. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless Underground Sensor Networks (WUSNs) that collect geospatial in situ sensor data are a backbone of internet-of-things (IoT) applications for agriculture and terrestrial ecology. In this paper, we first show how WUSNs can operate reliably under field conditions year-round and at the same time be used for determining and mapping soil conditions from the buried sensor nodes. We demonstrate the design and deployment of a 23-node WUSN installed at an agricultural field site that covers an area with a 530 m radius. The WUSN has continuously operated since September 2019, enabling real-time monitoring of soil volumetric water content (VWC), soil temperature (ST), and soil electrical conductivity. Secondly, we present data collected over a nine-month period across three seasons. We evaluate the performance of a deep learning algorithm in predicting soil VWC using various combinations of the received signal strength (RSSI) from each buried wireless node, above-ground pathloss, the distance between wireless node and receive antenna (D), ST, air temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), and precipitation as input parameters to the model. The AT, RH, and precipitation were obtained from a nearby weather station. We find that a model with RSSI, D, AT, ST, and RH as inputs was able to predict soil VWC with an R2 of 0.82 for test datasets, with a Root Mean Square Error of ±0.012 (m3/m3). Hence, a combination of deep learning and other easily available soil and climatic parameters can be a viable candidate for replacing expensive soil VWC sensors in WUSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]