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First paragraph: Our spring-summer 2024 issue is devoted largely to a set of commentaries prepared by more than two dozen participants in the U.S. Agroecology Summit 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Their indivi­dual and collective voices challenge the hegemony of the dominant global industrial food system. However, they acknowledge that there are significant philosophical and pragmatic divisions between progressives in the agroecology “movement” that need to be openly addressed before significant progress can be made in build­ing a cohesive movement. . . .

There is a growing consensus that the modern food system lies at the centre of the great challenges facing humanity and that urgent and profound changes are required in the way that food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed. This review analyses sustainability transitions within agrifood systems, focusing on the role of firms and industries as defined by the Sustainable Transitions Research Network (STRN). This paper conducts the first systematic literature review using bibliometric analysis to assess the current state of research on this theme. The findings reveal a significant increase in publications related to firms and industries associated with agrifood sustainability transitions. Furthermore, the focus of current research is geographically concentrated in the European Union. The review identifies four key themes in the literature, based on the co-occurrence of keywords. These are agriculture, innovation, governance, food systems and agroecology. The review identifies an increasing awareness of the role of farmers in driving sustainability transitions at the farm level. Furthermore, there is an increasing awareness of the interrelated characteristics of the agrifood system, which acknowledges the need for sustainable innovations to occur at multiple stages of the agrifood system. The review also shows that there is growing evidence that innovations can occur through disruptive as well as incremental innovation and highlights the importance of governance influencing transitions. The existing literature raises questions about alternative food networks as sustainable innovations, their potential for significant change in the established food system and the validity of their claims regarding food equity and environmental sustainability. A key theme emerging from the literature is an ecological perspective that identifies the complex biological processes and ecosystems that form an integral part of agricultural production. These findings provide a greater understanding of the current literature landscape of agrifood sustainable transitions relating to firms and industries and lay a foundation for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a conceptualization of radical food democracy (RFD) which links the diverse economies approach of Gibson-Graham with Tully's notion of diverse citizenship. Despite its invaluable contribution to theorizing the role of alternative food networks (AFNs) in transforming unsustainable industrial food systems, the diverse economies scholarship has been criticized for essentializing the autonomy of alternative economic practices--hence risking to confound emancipatory social change with punctuated forms of "local," "quality," "organic certified" products, which nevertheless remain embedded in market-mediated capitalist relations, and displacement and/or deferral of negative impacts. This paper aims to address such critiques, contending that the realization of RFD requires both (1) the experimentation with new economic practices that carve out food economies alternative to the working logic of capital accumulation, and (2) the cultivation of new political subjects capable of universalizing these particular struggles. After situating various existing practices associated with food democracy in a framework of various modes of democratic citizenship, we underpin our understanding of RFD with a theory of change informed by Bob Jessop's strategic-relational approach to social structures, agents' reflexive actions, and their contingency. Following a critical scientific approach to the social role of academics, this theoretical framework is illustrated using a case study from Germany. The empirical work draws on participant observation and semi-structured interviews with leaders of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives and Food Policy Council (FPC) networks conducted in Cologne, Berlin, and Frankfurt in 2018-2020. To conclude, this paper argues that the emancipatory potential of food democracy should cultivate both lighthouse alternative economic practices that are connected with people's everyday lives, and political imagination that dares to critically engage with existing institutions. Likewise, RFD praxis requires a constant back and forth between the ideational and the practical, the abstract and the concrete, the actionable and the analytical, to challenge both the symbolic-discursive and the material dimensions of capitalist agri-food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent crises have highlighted the vulnerabilities of global supply chains and, consequently, a profound need for food system transformation. In this scenario, local food policy and agroecology arise as two different but converging paradigms capable of fostering an inclusive and sustainable transition of the food systems, especially in urban contexts. The purpose of this paper is to strengthen the relationship between these two paradigms by proposing agroecological assessment as a tool for formulating evidence-based local food policies. Considering the city-region food system of Rome (Italy) as a reference context, the paper proposes an adaptation of the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) model on a sample of 20 farms to analyse urban agriculture and understand the extent to which it contributes to the transformation of the food system. Data processing shows that, in the city-region context of Rome, agroecological principles are not fully adopted by the majority of farms considered. In addition, farms with the highest agroecological level are those driven mainly by social factors and have a lower propensity for innovation. This could be read as a constraining aspect because it hinders and slows down the transformation process of food systems. However, these data turn out to be essential to the implementation of local food policy and in identifying pathways toward sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic Agriculture and Agroecology are production systems considered relevant for building up sustainable food systems at an environmental, social and economic level. In recent years there has been a growing interest in considering which processes can contribute to upscaling these systems. At a global level Agroecological Local Agri-food Systems and Bio-districts are becoming beacons for that purpose. This paper presents a case study of an organic and agroecological group of producers in the Argentinian Pampa Region where we used the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach in implementing three interconnected methodologies: (i) Sustainability assessment using the FAO Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), (ii) Participatory Value chain Development and (iii) Stakeholder Analysis. This was done to verify if the combination of methodologies can be useful to (i) evaluate the current situation of the group in terms of LAFS development and (ii) identify which possible activities would be required for upscaling organic and agroecological practices at a regional level with a neo-endogenous approach. We conclude that the participative assessment implemented was useful to identify the group stage in terms of LAFS development and also to identify the activation requirements for upscaling the system at the same time that the participatory process addressed and organized a set of procedures in the hands of the group for implementing that process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers’ awareness and the incidence of climate change are crucial inputs to effectively scale up interventions to mitigate the effects of climate change. This is because incidence leads to awareness due to observation of occurrences. The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of climate change awareness and incidence across farming systems and agroecological zones in Sierra Leone. An ex-post-facto research design was applied, while a multistage sampling procedure was used to select 865 smallholder farmers across agroecological zones and farming systems. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire subjected to face validity and split-half reliability tests. This data analyzed frequency counts, percentages, multiple regression, and principal component analysis. The results show that farmers in the coastal plain, savannah woodland, and transitional rainforest had greater awareness and incidence of climate change across the crop, livestock, and fishery farming systems. The significant determinants of awareness and incidence of climate change among farmers are the adoption of crop smart practices (t = 4.192; p < 0.01); information needs on water smart practices (t = –5.581; p < 0.01); adoption of nutrient smart practices (t = 10.592; p < 0.01); adoption of energy/carbon smart practices (t = 3.206 ; p < 0.01); adoption of livestock smart practices (t = 3.608; p < 0.01); information needs on weather smart practices (t = 3.505; p < 0.01); incidence of climate change (t = 16.282; p < 0.01); and constraints on nutrient smart practices (t = –2.669; p < 0.01). The Principal Component analysis identified four factors, namely Factor 1 (Impact), Factor 2 (Occurrence), Factor 3 (Evidence), and Factor 4 (Threat), and accounted for 14.96%, 8.27%, 6.41%, 3.50% of the variance, respectively, with a cumulative variance of 33.14%. The study concludes that farmers are aware of the incidence of climate change and are adopting different techniques in response to the different climate changes observed. This study also recommends the identification of specific climate change adaptations and the scaling of interventions for adaptation and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to investigate the capacity of agroecological cooperative supermarkets in Spain to promote scaling of food products by means of a double perspective. We first employ a vertical scaling approach to analyze the issues affecting the governance and collective organization of the Cooperative Supermarket Network (CSN), set up in May 2022 and comprising eleven Spanish supermarkets. Secondly, we employ a perspective of horizontal scaling to investigate the potential for increased numbers of members, as well as the geographic and sociodemographic variables at play which limit the abovementioned scaling: to this end we use the case study of the cooperative supermarket La Osa, opened in Madrid in December 2020. We adopt a methodology based on participatory action research throughout the years 2022 and 2023, in which the research team was involved in the real processes of creation and development of the CSN or of La Osa. The study confirms the hypothesis that agroecological cooperative supermarkets constitute a formula for efficient retail distribution for scaling sustainable food in Spain. As opposed to the first-generation options for responsible consumption, these supermarkets appear to contribute to generating significant economies of scale and scope. In terms of vertical scaling, joint provision of services, as well as the gaining of political influence in society, constitute the main advantages in relation to the functioning of the CSN. While the recruitment of new members has heretofore been considered a priority in horizontal scaling, particular emphasis should also be placed on loyalty strategies targeting existing members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Agroecology frameworks do not explicitly include nutrition, but nutrition is an outcome of many principles of agroecology, with growing evidence that agroecological interventions improve diet quality and nutrition. In this paper, we argue that more explicit attention to the importance of wild foods from diverse agroecological landscapes will further enhance the nutrition outcomes associated with agroecology. In rural landscapes around the world, wild foods provide nutrient-dense and culturally important foods that make significant contributions to the diet in some contexts and are culturally important and highly valued delicacies in others. Agroecological principles, science, and practice already support the maintenance of wild foods in food systems by highlighting ecological principles. These include low or no use of pesticides, landscape diversity, and maintenance of biodiversity, alongside social principles such as traditional knowledge and cultural practices. The focus in agroecology on working with traditional knowledge and cultural practices supports the preservation of traditional knowledge required to responsibly harvest and prepare wild foods. Centering landscape diversity and nutrition as outcomes of agroecology supports the continued use of wild foods and cultural knowledge, especially in rural communities around the globe. More explicit attention to wild foods in agroecological systems will further contribute to associated nutrition outcomes, while simultaneously promoting the maintenance of landscape diversity, biodiversity, preservation of cultural knowledge, and other ecological sound and socially just agricultural practices. [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]

With the greening of agriculture, there is a need to better link the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and organic agriculture in developing countries. However, in Serbia, there is a huge gap between the potential of their implementation and the actual situation. This paper assessed the strengths and weaknesses of SDGs and organic agriculture in Serbia and how their relationship can contribute in the development of sustainable agriculture. Key data and indicators of the economic, agricultural and social development of Serbia from international and national databases, as well as recent publications related to the selected topic, were assesed. The results showed that the restricted development of organic agriculture in Serbia stems from the undeveloped awareness of consumers, slower acceptance of alternative agricultural systems and the volatility of mainstream conventional agricultural production. The integration of organic agriculture into the largest conceptual and strategic frameworks, such as the SDGs, can offer a true transformation of local food systems and could result in positive feedback to the environment and society. In the long term, the SDGs framework can help connect various dimensions of sustainable agriculture, stakeholders and policymakers. The future focus should be on how to create entry points for agricultural transformation based on certified organic methodologies and how to integrate agricultural heritage into the realisation of SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The territorial scale is increasingly recognised as a relevant scale for analysing, conceiving and supporting the ecological transitions of agri-food systems. France and Italy have both been pioneer countries for the valorisation of territorially-based food identity and more recently experimented innovative forms of collective and public action to support transitions to sustainable territorial food systems. In Italy, the biodistrict frame has progressively been legitimised and recently adopted as a legal framework, while in France, despite many regional experiences focused on organic agriculture, the legal framework recently established with the territorial food system policy, officially driven by the agroecological transition paradigm, leaves a very variable place to organic agriculture and its principles, depending on local features and power configurations. Our objective in this paper is to understand these processes of institutionalisation. Based on a focused review of the French and Italian literature on this issue and on the analysis of the relative place of organics in policies, experiences and debates in France and Italy over the five last decades, we show that these processes of institutionalisation result from specific interplays between science, policy and experience, where the related actors take a different role, leading to different configurations and favouring different framings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-districts are a specific form of aggregation which are particularly effective in implementing a multi-stakeholder, environmentally conscious, and place-based approach to food system sustainability. Bio-districts may facilitate the agroecological transition of the local food systems. The aim of this paper is to provide recommendations on how to promote the adoption of the agroecological approach through biodistricts, by analysing farmers’ propensity towards agroecology, framing the level of attainement in the transition pathway, and shedding light on the barriers to the broader diffusion of agroecology. A qualitative comparative case study approach has been developed in two bio-districts in Italy. Based on the findings, farmers show a propensity to adopt the agroecological approach, However, a series of barriers have prevented reaching the top level of agroecological transition, especially the need for the adaptation of machinery, a shortage of skilled advisors for knowledge transfer, and poor community awareness. The findings suggest that there is urgent need to face policy, governance-related, and market-related challenges. This study lays the groundwork for the integration of the agroecological approach in the implementation of key policy instruments such as the Italian Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan and the European Union Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal helminth parasites undergo part of their life cycle outside their host, such that developmental stages interact with the soil and dung fauna. These interactions are capable of affecting parasite transmission on pastures yet are generally ignored in current models, empirical studies and practical management. Dominant methods of parasite control, which rely on anthelmintic medications for livestock, are becoming increasingly ineffective due to the emergence of drug‐resistant parasite populations. Furthermore, consumer and regulatory pressure on decreased chemical use in agriculture and the consequential disruption of biological processes in the dung through nontarget effects exacerbates issues with anthelmintic reliance. This presents a need for the application and enhancement of nature‐based solutions and biocontrol methods. However, successfully harnessing these options relies on advanced understanding of the ecological system and interacting effects among biotic factors and with immature parasite stages. Here, we develop a framework linking three key groups of dung and soil fauna—fungi, earthworms, and dung beetles—with each other and developmental stages of helminths parasitic in farmed cattle, sheep, and goats in temperate grazing systems. We populate this framework from existing published studies and highlight the interplay between faunal groups and documented ecological outcomes. Of 1756 papers addressing abiotic drivers of populations of these organisms and helminth parasites, only 112 considered interactions between taxa and 36 presented data on interactions between more than two taxonomic groups. Results suggest that fungi reduce parasite abundance and earthworms may enhance fungal communities, while competition between dung taxa may reduce their individual effect on parasite transmission. Dung beetles were found to impact fungal populations and parasite transmission variably, possibly tied to the prevailing climate within a specific ecological context. By exploring combinations of biotic factors, we consider how interactions between species may be fundamental to the ecological consequences of biocontrol strategies and nontarget impacts of anthelmintics on dung and soil fauna and how pasture management alterations to promote invertebrates might help limit parasite transmission. With further development and parameterization the framework could be applied quantitatively to guide, prioritize, and interpret hypothesis‐driven experiments and integrate biotic factors into established models of parasite transmission dynamics. [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]

The science of ecology is incorporated into farm development and operation through agroecological techniques. A paradigm shift in agriculture is essential to combat hunger, adapt to climate trade, and mitigate environmental degradation. By doing this, researchers may further acknowledge the interdependence of farmed and nonfarmed landscapes and the variety of products and services that robust ecosystems offer, including resilience, nutrient cycling, and pest control, all of which can help sustain yields. Agro-ecology relies heavily on the knowledge and experience of farmers since it fosters independence and decreases reliance on costly outside resources. The concepts of sustainable intensification and agroecology are examined in this paper as additional strategies to address the global issue of increasing food production while lowering environmental impacts. Also, this study evaluates how effectively these approaches boost crop yields, lower environmental costs, and build resilience to climate unpredictability by closely examining existing programs, integrated management strategies, and field experiments. Supporting the findings is a comparative table that shows several techniques of sustainable intensification and how they have an effect on yields and environmental costs. In order to expand resilient, sustainable, and equitable food systems, a discussion of the necessity of a paradigm shift towards agroecological strategies is addressed in the paper's conclusion.

Like many Mediterranean areas, the Italian island of Sicily faces multiple environmental pressures such as soil loss, fire hazards, and extreme meteorological events, all of which negatively impact local food systems. In response to these threats, a re-thinking of local agriculture and natural resource management is increasingly needed. Agroecology is recognized as a robust proposal for building more resilient food systems grounded in farmers' knowledge and practices. However, agroecological farming experiences struggle to operate and survive in Sicily due to unfavorable political-cultural, environmental, and socio-economic conditions. Learning from small-scale farmers about the ways they perceive, understand, and overcome structural limits and environmental constraints is key for a transition to agroecology in the study area. Understanding its potentials and limits is essential for planning and identifying transformative actions. We approached the problem by adopting a participatory action research methodology involving selected groups of farmers in Western Sicily. We applied a co-creative approach and developed a systemic analysis of the socio-ecological narratives to identify possible leverage points for a transition to agroecology in the study area. We identified a local potential for shifting the current system of water and fire hazards management to new systems of participatory land stewardship. To be effective, these systems should support agroecological farmers' income by altering social practices related to food and reducing the influence of dominant agribusiness actors. Our findings indicate that implementing solutions based on the circulation of local ecological knowledge within systems of participatory guarantees can favor the development of solidarity economies and mutualistic relations between farmers, scientists, and communities. Our work suggests that scientists' facilitation and knowledge cocreation might be of key importance in structuring local, more sustainable food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological engineering is defined as the design of ecosystems for the benefit of human society and the environment. In Asia, the ecological engineering of rice fields by establishing vegetation on bunds/levees for natural enemies has recently gained traction; however, its success depends on farmers' willingness to implement changes. We surveyed 291 rice farmers in four regions of the Philippines to assess their bund management practices and willingness to establish bund vegetation that restores rice regulatory ecosystem services for pest management. During pre- and post-open field day (OFD) interviews, we assessed farmers' perceptions of ecological engineering practices and sought their advice concerning bund vegetation. Over 60% of the farmers grew crops or allowed weeds on their bunds. Vegetables were grown as a source of extra food or income, and flowers were grown for pest management. Among the remaining farmers, their willingness to try ecological engineering increased from 36 to 74% after the OFDs. Furthermore, after the OFDs, willing farmers increasingly (from 2.6 to 15%) cited pest management as a reason to grow vegetables on bunds, and farmers almost exclusively focused on growing vegetables rather than flowers to adapt the system. While 46.5% of farmers who grew vegetables on their bunds applied insecticides, only ca 20% indicated that they would do so after the OFDs, if needed. Farmers had differing opinions on how vegetables would be incorporated into their rice farms. This range of options could be encouraged wherever farmers recognize the potential harm from pesticides for biodiversity and the restoration value of a diversified farm habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding past landscape changes is crucial to promote agroecological landscape transitions. This study analyzes past land cover changes (LCCs) alongside subsequent degradation and improvements in the study area. The input land cover (LC) data were taken from ESRI's ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World and then assessed for accuracy using ground truth data points randomly selected from high-resolution images on the Google Earth Engine. The LCC analyses were performed on QGIS 3.28.15 using the Semi-Automatic Classification Plugin (SCP) to generate LCC data. The degradation or improvement derived from the analyzed data was subsequently assessed using the UNCCD Good Practice Guidance to generate land cover degradation data. Using the Landscape Ecology Statistics (LecoS) plugin in QGIS, the input LC data were processed to provide landscape metrics. The data presented in this article show that the studied landscape is not static, even over a short-term time horizon (2017–2022). The transition from one LC class to another had an impact on the ecosystem and induced different states of degradation. For the three main LC classes (forest, crops, and rangeland) representing 98.9% of the total area in 2022, the landscape metrics, especially the number of patches, reflected a 105% increase in landscape fragmentation between 2017 and 2022. Dataset:  https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766.1/FK2/YUXPQY ; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766.1/FK2/U4JHNU ; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766.1/FK2/UN7DKQ. Dataset License: CC-BY-SA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing rainfall patterns make farmers increasingly vulnerable to crop failure, income loss and food insecurity. Agroecology is proposed to reduce climate vulnerabilities of farmers, as such practices and social movement aim to create more resilient farm and food systems. It is however fairly unknown if, and to what extent, agroecological farmers are better able to cope with climate induced exposures as compared to conventional smallholders. We conducted 194 surveys with agroecological and conventional smallholders to explore the three components of climate vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. We combined this with field observations and interviews, and an analysis of longterm rainfall data. We also followed up the initial survey analysis with additional focus group discussions. Just as climate change occurs incrementally over time, we highlight modest, yet important differences between conventional and agroecological farmers. We find that agroecological farmers are less vulnerable to short-term dry spells, due to a combination of farming practices that improve soil water retention, like mulching and the use of cover crops. However, the use of botanicals might induce new vulnerabilities, as their processing requires additional labor, and sometimes expenditures, and may not protect the crops from pests and diseases. We also find limitations to agroecology in terms of scale, as most farmers are unable to use botanicals on all their farmland. Yet, agroecological farmers process and apply botanicals for health benefits both in production and consumption of foods, and they can occasionally sell their organic farm products for a higher price than conventional famers. With this study, we emphasize that farmers' reasons to practice agroecology is not just to boost productivity and become more climate resilient, but rather for improving the long-term health of producers, consumers, soils and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the forms of conflictuality and violence in territories subject to agricultural and mining extractivism, the impacts on peasant groups and the way in which resistance based on agroecology is redefined by these processes. We draw attention to gender in interlocked power relations by showing, on the one hand, how it serves the penetration of extractivist projects, by getting (male) peasants to sign up to the projects or by attacking their resistance. On the other hand, we highlight resistance centred on agroecology, the reinvestment of the care work socially assigned to female peasants, opposition and negotiations within families and politicization.

This paper presents a pedagogical experience in Science teaching from the curriculum component Botany which was developed at José Valmeristo School, located in the encampment called Quintino Lira, city of Santa Luzia in Pará (Brazilian state). We aimed to accomplish a pedagogical practice about plant science teaching and trace some discursive possibilities with Agroecology, as well as verify how this practice can collaborate with the teaching changes in the rural school. It is a participatory action research and an experience report about all pedagogical experiences with the students, teachers, and community residents. Throughout these practices, we built a Forest Calendar, a Cutting Production Manual, and the implementation of a small Agroforestry System (AS) in the camp. We discovered some local possibilities of a relationship between Agroecology and Botany teaching, including plant taxonomy, management forms, spacings and intercropping, reforestation, and the AS. When we relate Agroecology and Botany, we noticed that Science teaching transgresses the positivist vision and values traditional knowledge. It causes a reflection on pedagogical practice in the encampment context and MST, which should be closely related to the subject reality, in a dialogued way, so that it can contribute to the changes in their realities.

Simple Summary: Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a preventable disease in cattle. Understanding the epidemiology of the disease, as well as farmers' perceptions, is the most important key to designing a prevention strategy. Accordingly, the current study was designed to establish LSD seroprevalence using specific methods and to investigate LSD epidemiology in the Sidama regional state (Ethiopia), as well as to assess farmers' perceptions. The study determined high exposures to LSD at both herd and animal levels in three agro-ecological zones. Furthermore, the farmers' knowledge about LSD was low, and there were complaints of LSD disease reports even in vaccinated groups. As a conclusion, this study identified the distribution of LSD in different management systems as well as agro-ecological zones, followed by a low level of farmers' knowledge about the disease. Furthermore, this study indicates the necessity for community-based awareness campaigns regarding clinical signs of LSD along with regularly updated information on LSD prevalence. The lumpy skin disease (LSD) vaccination status and epidemiological distribution remain unknown in some parts of Ethiopia, including the Sidama regional state. In this study, a serological survey of LSD was performed using a specific virus neutralization assay in selected districts of the Sidama regional state representing three agroecological zones from September 2021 to June 2022. Moreover, an assessment of community awareness and LSD vaccine-related problems was conducted using a questionnaire. Our results showed an overall animal and herd level seroprevalence of 40.8% (95%CI = 35.8, 45.8) and 81% (95%CI = 77, 85), respectively. High and low seroprevalence were observed in lowland (48%) and highland (28%) areas, although they were not statistically significant. However, risk factors such as management systems and breeds showed substantial differences in their LSD prevalence. The results obtained through the questionnaire showed that a small portion of respondents (29.2%) know about LSD and vaccinate their cattle (23.3%) against this disease. Only 20.8% of the respondents stated that there was LSD occurrence in their vaccinated cattle. In conclusion, both qualitative and quantitative study results showed the need for intervention in terms of community-based awareness creation about LSD clinical signs and vaccination advantages together with the frequently updated information on LSD prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pursuing agroecological urbanism – a strategic endeavor to dismantle disempowering structures within urban food systems through cultivating mutual interdependencies – alternative food networks (AFNs) emerge as pivotal catalysts for transformative change. Indeed, there are increasing arguments for AFNs working on diverse issues to pool resources and address food system challenges from multiple perspectives under a common frame. However, a pressing need exists for greater clarity on tensions and challenges in establishing a network of AFNs within a shared framework, such as that fostered by agroecological urbanism. This study explores impediments to organizing AFNs into transformative networks, drawing insights from two diverse urban contexts – Preston, England, and Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country – using a case study methodology comprising online semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Our findings underscore three primary barriers to this process: divergent conceptualizations of food questions, education and awareness-raising as a limited convergence point, and constrained resources. Such barriers generate a practical divorce between social and environmental goals in the experiences analyzed. Central to this division is also the pivotal question of the subject of justice – whether AFNs advocate primarily for urban citizens’ interests or prioritize peri-urban and rural farmers’ concerns. The analysis highlights the need to develop inclusive socio-ecological narratives within the overarching framework of agroecological urbanism as a critical step in fostering collaborative coalitions among AFNs that move beyond individualized change. Building these coalitions would depend on funding availability for long-term strategic collaborative efforts, emphasizing the crucial role of public authorities in such processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the most important economic sector and simultaneously the greatest threat to the ecosystem functions on which all complex life depends. It is therefore a logical starting point for developing a restorative economy. We must develop and disseminate agroecosystems capable of providing food security for all, while simultaneously restoring vital ecosystem processes degraded by conventional agriculture. We review 25 years of transdisciplinary work towards this goal on an agroecology project in Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Catarina, Brazil and distill some key lessons for like-minded efforts. We apply the methods of Participatory Action Research and Post Normal Science to integrate the knowledge, insights and goals of farmers, diverse scientists, agricultural extensionists, and policymakers to design high-biodiversity silvopastoral systems and multi-function riparian forests capable of improving farmer livelihoods, and propose policies to support their adoption by aligning the interests of farmers and society. We explain the science underlying our project and document resulting improvements in farmer livelihoods and ecosystem services. We then examine the socioeconomic obstacles to disseminating our innovations and policies that might overcome them and describe our pragmatic approaches to working with policymakers. We conclude that integrating natural sciences, socio-economic analysis and politics are all necessary yet insufficient to promote the large-scale adoption of restorative agriculture. We contend that building a restorative economy will also require a fundamental extension of humanity's moral values to the rest of nature, and use evolutionary science to support our views. Rather than offering a recipe for successful projects, our take-home message is that developing a restorative agricultural economy in an ever-evolving system is a continuous participatory process with no endpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, agroecology has gained prominence as one of the innovative approaches to agriculture that could positively contribute to achieving sustainable food systems. As a transdisciplinary science, agroecology could benefit from the contribution of socio-economic sciences. This study aims to give an overview of how scholars have approached socio-economic issues in the field of agroecology. A scoping review was conducted by using the PRISMA-ScR method, searching both Scopus and Web of Sciences databases. The selected body of literature (183 articles) provides an overview of the key socio-economic dimensions analysed in the literature on agroecology and the results achieved by scholars. The findings allowed drawing the research gaps and the future research directions in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a widespread concern about the negative impact of intensive livestock farming on climate change and biodiversity loss. We analyzed the trade-off between meat production and environmental variables related to global warming—energy consumption, use efficiency of energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, carbon footprint, and GHG balance—of two alternative intensification strategies of livestock farming in the Flooding Pampa: conventional intensification (CI) based on external inputs, and ecological intensification (EI) based on maintaining native grassland in good condition through adaptive multi-paddock grazing (AMPG). We also explored the relationship between meat production and the economic variables gross margin and its year-to-year variation. Energy consumption was positively correlated with meat production (ρ = 0.95, p = 0.0117), and EI farms consumed less fuel energy and showed higher energy use efficiency than CI farms (294 ± 152 vs. 2740 ± 442 MJ ha−1 y−1, 38.4 ± 28.8 vs. 1.23 ± 0.13 MJ kg LW−1 y−1, p < 0.05, respectively). GHG emissions and carbon footprint did not show significant differences between EI and CI strategies. As soil carbon sequestration was significantly higher in EI farms than in CI farms (1676 ± 304 vs. −433 ± 343 kg CO2eq ha−1 y−1, p < 0.05), GHG balance resulted almost neutral and higher under the EI strategy (−693 ± 732 vs. −3520 ± 774 kg CO2eq ha−1 y−1, p < 0.05). CI strategy obtained higher meat production but a similar gross margin to the EI strategy and a more unstable economic return, as the coefficient of variation in the gross margin doubled that of the EI strategy (84 + 13.3 vs. 43 + 2.6, respectively, p < 0.05). Ecological intensification of cattle production in the Flooding Pampa demonstrates the potential for a positive relationship between individual cattle farmers' profits and overall societal benefits, as reflected in improved environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry‐based plant metabolomics is frequently used to identify novel natural products or study the effect of specific treatments on a plant's metabolism. Reliable sample handling is required to avoid artifacts, which is why most protocols mandate shock freezing of plant tissue in liquid nitrogen and an uninterrupted cooling chain. However, the logistical challenges of this approach make it infeasible for many ecological studies. Especially for research in the tropics, permanent cooling poses a challenge, which is why many of those studies use dried leaf tissue instead. We screened a total of 10 extraction and storage approaches for plant metabolites extracted from maize leaf tissue across two cropping seasons to develop a methodology for agroecological studies in logistically challenging tropical locations. All methods were evaluated based on changes in the metabolite profile across a 2‐month storage period at different temperatures with the goal of reproducing the metabolite profile of the living plant as closely as possible. We show that our newly developed on‐site liquid–liquid extraction protocol provides a good compromise between sample replicability, extraction efficiency, material logistics, and metabolite profile stability. We further discuss alternative methods which showed promising results and feasibility of on‐site sample handling for field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-Health is an umbrella term that integrates the health of the environment, humans and non-human animals. This approach is applied here to elucidate the impact of non-native invasive species on aquaculture and food security. Despite inherent biases against these species, a better understanding of their characteristics allows for the identification of those of greatest concern, minimizing the risk of food shortages and infectious diseases. This review summarises the positive and negative impacts of non-native species, delineating the specific areas they may impact. Additionally, this review gives an insight to the expertise and stakeholders that would need to be included if a "One-Health" approach were to be implemented by policymakers to better control non-native species. Detailed examples illustrate the consequences of non-native species on trophic dynamics, ecosystem health, water chemistry, and human health, emphasizing the importance of managing them within a multidimensional framework. The "One-Health" approach is explained, and suggestions are made on how certain non-native species could be used to contribute to food security in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, recommendations are made to promote a more inclusive management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic Agriculture and Agroecology are production systems considered relevant for building up sustainable food systems at an environmental, social and economic level. In recent years there has been a growing interest in considering which processes can contribute to upscaling these systems. At a global level Agroecological Local Agri-food Systems and Bio-districts are becoming beacons for that purpose. This paper presents a case study of an organic and agroecological group of producers in the Argentinian Pampa Region where we used the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach in implementing three interconnected methodologies: (i) Sustainability assessment using the FAO Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE), (ii) Participatory Value chain Development and (iii) Stakeholder Analysis. This was done to verify if the combination of methodologies can be useful to (i) evaluate the current situation of the group in terms of LAFS development and (ii) identify which possible activities would be required for upscaling organic and agroecological practices at a regional level with a neo-endogenous approach. We conclude that the participative assessment implemented was useful to identify the group stage in terms of LAFS development and also to identify the activation requirements for upscaling the system at the same time that the participatory process addressed and organized a set of procedures in the hands of the group for implementing that process.

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.

Climate change is expected to have differential impacts on different zones. In this study, we employed the Ricardian technique, estimated through ordinary least squares (OLS) to assess the impact of climate change on farmers' revenue. We use survey data from two distinct agroecological zones in Cameroon. Our results show that rainfall is the main climatic variable affecting farmers' revenue. The results are statistically different for the two agroecological zones. While rainfall in the dry season affects revenue in the western highland zone. No climatic variable seems to affect farm revenue in the bimodal forest zone. These results suggest that the abundance of forest in the bimodal zone maybe be shielding the zone from the effects of climate change. We therefore recommend that farmers employ water harvesting and low-cost irrigation methods to cope with changes in rainfall pattern especially in extended dry seasons. Facilitating farmers' access to climate information particularly with respect to the onset and cessation of rains will improve the planning of farm operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, set within an art–science collaborative framework, exposes a multidisciplinary research platform aimed at identifying new relationships with hops (Humulus lupulus), its harvest, and local memory. It presents an ecological and ethnobotanical study of the plant, from its natural habitat to its past/present cultivation, its traditional uses, and possible applications in pharmacy and cosmetics. It offers a qualitative study with an ethnographic approach to participant observation, using techniques such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and life stories. Finally, it brings forth a process of material experimentation from the arts, based on rethinking waste systems to create new biomaterials with manifold future applications. The results from this hybrid methodology show the multiple possibilities that the plant offers beyond its cultivation for the brewing industry. Likewise, it shows how spaces, relationships, and dialogues have been generated with wide repercussions on a local and planetary scale, related to the sustainability of the rural world and territorial cohesion, all of which are intrinsic to emergent agrarian practices. The conclusions show a complex scenario that demands a hybrid response to understand the paradoxes to which the plant is subjected and the uncertain future of agrarian culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food systems governance regimes have long been spaces of "thick legitimacy" (Montenegro de Wit & Iles, 2016), where embedded norms benefit productivist agricultural practices. Within governance regimes, the science-policy interface and the scientists who occupy this space are integral in today's public policy processes. Often treated as objective science, technical disciplines have become a powerful source of legitimatizing in decision-making. Without the contextualization of lived experience or diverse ways of knowing, these siloed spaces can lead policymakers towards an action bias (e.g., a rush to short-term solutions) that neglects the underlying causes and concerns of our current crises. Current governance arrangements in the science-policy interface demonstrate the bias toward technical science (e.g. economics) and short-term solutions. However, by challenging productivist agriculture norms reformed public policy processes may shift from a space of repression to one of possibility. This reform can happen through investigatiing dominant actor coalitions and identifying tools to reconfigure these power arrangements. Public policy theory, such as the advocacy coalition framework (ACF), helps organize relations within current agricultural policy arenas. The work of practitioners and other disciplines offer tools that can support transformative action by food systems advocates in the pursuit of changing the way public policy is made. In part, understanding how power is organized and who may influence policy processes is critical to change. This reflective essay ends with tools and strategies for those wishing to engage governments in this shift. The proposed tools and strategies focus on how people (e.g. policy champions), processes (e.g. policy leverage points), and partnerships (e.g. allyship) generate ways in which advocates can, and do, engage governments in transformative change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for the production of vegetable crops, but anthropogenic sources pose risks due to its transformation into several reactive forms and movement throughout the environment. The bulk of the N research to date to improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) has followed a reductionist factorial approach focused on synthetic N application rates and crop growth response, under monocultures. The increased adoption of diversified cropping systems, organic N sources, and alternative management practices makes it more challenging to unravel N form transformation, movement, and crop uptake dynamics, in time and space. Here, based on a selected review of the recent literature, we propose a holistic approach of nutrient management to highlight key management and production variables as well as multilevel cropping system, genetic, environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic interactions to improve the N cycle and NUE. The best management strategies to improve NUE include both organic and inorganic N rate calibration studies, germplasm selection, crop rotations, identification of nutrient x nutrient interactions, and pest and water management. Agroecological practices that may improve NUE include vegetational diversification in time and space, integrated crop–livestock systems, conservation tillage, organic amendment inputs, legume-based cropping systems, as well as a landscape approach to nutrient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the main driver of the rapid collapse of biodiversity, upon which all life on Earth, including agricultural production, depends. As we face the challenge of feeding a growing human population under a changing climate regime, the pressure on biodiversity is expected to further intensify. While the potential to expand and improve natural habitats for biodiversity conservation has been widely explored in large-scale scenarios of agricultural systems, the critical role of agricultural landscapes’ management on halting the loss of biodiversity remains unexplored at this scale. We argue that, to achieve an effective conservation of biodiversity (both natural and agricultural), the combined multivariate effects of agriculture on biodiversity must be accounted for, including its surface area as well as its management. Based on a literature review, we identified the main biodiversity pressures stemming from agriculture: land-use change, contribution to climate change, water withdrawal, pesticide pollution, nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) pollution, and landscape and farmscale simplification (of croplands and pastures). For each one, we proposed a critical boundary, based on reviews of studies covering a range of taxa, biodiversity metrics, and biomes, below or above which negative impacts on biodiversity are minimized or positive effects arise. Implemented simultaneously, the identified boundaries would integrate biodiversity conservation within and across farmlands and minimize agriculture’s far-reaching impacts on biodiversity. We present a framework called “agricultural boundaries for biodiversity” that will allow to explore the potential of developing agricultural systems that effectively reconcile food production and biodiversity conservation at large scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the invasion of the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda into Africa, smallholder farmers had been using indigenous practices such as applying fish soup to plants to manage stemborer pests. Although farmers have since begun adapting this practice against FAW, no attempt has been made to scientifically evaluate this practice. Therefore, we assessed the efficacy of applying fish soup to maize plants that were artificially infested with FAW under semi-field conditions. Our results showed that foliar damage is inversely correlated with the concentration of a fish soup and sugar solution, with the highest (100%) concentration resulting in the lowest foliar damage and the highest plant recovery. The FAW foliar damage results for maize plants treated with 100%, 50%, 10% fish soup and sugar, and distilled water were 46.3 ± 5.6, 51.1 ± 5.0, 71.6 ± 5.2, and 99.4 ± 0.4%, respectively, whereas plant recovery results from the same treatments were 35.2 ± 3.7, 31.1 ± 5.4, 20.0 ± 4.6, and 0.0 ± 0.0%, respectively. A concentration of fish soup and sugar solution of at least 25.9% was required to achieve the lowest foliar damage of 17.8% and peak plant recovery of 73.6%. Fish soup and sugar solutions attracted a wide range of insects, including potential natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) of FAW, in a dose-dependent manner. Maize plants treated with fish soup and sugar showed higher chlorophyll content and better growth than the control did. Proximate and chemical analysis showed that fish soup contains essential plant growth nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium). Through GC-MS analyses, we identified 76 volatile organic compounds in fish soup, of which 16 have been reported as insect attractants, highlighting their potential ecological significance. Therefore, the indigenous pest management practices for FAW, such as the use of fish soup, deserve particular attention. These practices could contribute to food security and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Further field validation studies, economic analyses, product development, and optimisation are therefore required to optimise the use of fish soup based on fish waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice self-sufficiency is central to Indonesia's agricultural development, but the country is increasingly challenged by population growth, climate change, and arable land scarcity. Agroecological nutrient management offers solutions though optimized fertilization, enhanced organic matter and biofertilizer utilizations, and improved farming systems and water management. Besides providing enough nutrients for crops, the agroecological approach also enhances resilience to climate change, reduces the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions, and improves the biological functions of rice soil. Organic and bio fertilizers can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. For example, blue-green algae may contribute 30–40 kg N ha−1, while the application of phosphate solubilizing microbes can reduce the use of chemical phosphorous fertilizers by up to 50 percent. The country currently experiences substantial yield gaps of about 37 percent in irrigated and 48 percent in rain-fed rice. Achieving self-sufficiency requires that Indonesia accelerates annual yield growth through agroecological nutrient management from a historical 40 kg ha−1 year−1 to 74 kg ha−1 year−1. The aim is to raise the average yield from the current 5.2 t ha−1 year−1 to 7.3 t ha−1 year−1 by 2050. Simultaneously, controlling paddy field conversion to a maximum of 30,000 hectares per year is crucial. This strategic approach anticipates Indonesia's milled rice production to reach around 40 million metric tonnes (Mt) by 2050, with an expected surplus of about 4 Mt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The European Parliament has recently passed the "Nature Recovery" law to restore degraded ecosystems and prevent natural disasters as part of its "Biodiversity Strategy 2030" and "Green Deal". In this respect, wetlands can provide a wide range of ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, hydrological land protection, provision of products, cultural and recreational benefits, and many others. However, they are still threatened by the expansion of agricultural land, overexploitation of water resources, water pollution, climate change, etc. Wetland conservation, however, is essential and requires coordinated action by managers, policymakers, stakeholders, and scientists. A systemic planning and design process is required to address these complex challenges. This research aims to outline an integrated, comprehensive, and well-structured planning framework for wetland systems that can be applied to different wetland types, in line with institutional wetland policy, governance, and management. The methodological approach developed in this study aims to integrate a longer-term strategy plan with a shorter-term action plan by combining the Yeomans scale of permanence and the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response model. This innovative approach was applied to a specific case study and may guide further wetland planning in the future. The Nominal Group Technique was used, a consensus method aimed at achieving a general agreement and convergence of opinion. An expert group of seven members with different technical backgrounds was engaged and expert consultation was found to be a simple and rapid technique for carrying out wetland planning. The expert judgements were sound, consistent, and did not overlap (i.e., were not redundant). "Pressures" and "Impacts" were identified by the experts and clustered according to corresponding "States" and "Drivers". Expert scoring allowed the resulting "Responses" to be ranked in terms of their relevance and influence on the development of the wetland strategy and action plan, while a priority order for their implementation was assessed according to the Yeomans scale of permanence. Agriculture was the highest rated 'Driver'; similarly, Biodiversity (habitats and species) was the 'State' with the highest score. Therefore, their combination (agriculture and biodiversity) should be considered as the strategic cornerstone of the whole planning framework. This means designing and implementing a system in which agriculture and nature (in our case a wetland) are allied ecological systems in mutual compensation, according to the way natural elements are embedded in the agricultural system. A collection of factsheets containing the full list of responses considered in the Wetlands Action Plan, with detailed operational actions, is provided in the Appendixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to investigate the capacity of agroecological cooperative supermarkets in Spain to promote scaling of food products by means of a double perspective. We first employ a vertical scaling approach to analyze the issues affecting the governance and collective organization of the Cooperative Supermarket Network (CSN), set up in May 2022 and comprising eleven Spanish supermarkets. Secondly, we employ a perspective of horizontal scaling to investigate the potential for increased numbers of members, as well as the geographic and sociodemographic variables at play which limit the abovementioned scaling: to this end we use the case study of the cooperative supermarket La Osa, opened in Madrid in December 2020. We adopt a methodology based on participatory action research throughout the years 2022 and 2023, in which the research team was involved in the real processes of creation and development of the CSN or of La Osa. The study confirms the hypothesis that agroecological cooperative supermarkets constitute a formula for efficient retail distribution for scaling sustainable food in Spain. As opposed to the first-generation options for responsible consumption, these supermarkets appear to contribute to generating significant economies of scale and scope. In terms of vertical scaling, joint provision of services, as well as the gaining of political influence in society, constitute the main advantages in relation to the functioning of the CSN. While the recruitment of new members has heretofore been considered a priority in horizontal scaling, particular emphasis should also be placed on loyalty strategies targeting existing members.