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Conservation and utilization of rice varieties by small scale farmers in the Philippines for more than two decades has led to retrieval of more than a thousand varieties of rice. The variety of rice plant characters like performance under organic farming, growth duration, height, differential resistance to pests and diseases, adaptation to climate change as well as eating quality has challenged farmers to learn breeding from their scientist partners. As a result of breeding, more than a thousand improved rice varieties were developed plus about 500 breeds developed by farmers themselves. Farmers maintain the rice varieties in trial farms which contain at least 50 varieties. MASIPAG has developed a conservation support system through a national backup farm, regional back up farm, and to some extent, provincial back up farm. Farmers and their organizations are indispensable in the development and practice of agroecology to challenge the dominant agricultural paradigm of ‘modern’, chemical and GMO farming. Small scale farmers who were disillusioned with chemical farming are now converting into organic and agroecological technologies. MASIPAG farmer were trained to develop skills of observation, trial and erro,r and establishing cause-and-effect, some of the rudiments of science. Consequently, many farmers have developed and adapted technologies on seeds, agronomic, soil and nutrient management, alternative pest management, storage, processing and marketing. Organic farming is then more sustainable with nutrient integration, and cultivation of below and above ground biodiversity with a resulting ecosystem of enhanced biological interactions and synergism. Farmer-to-farmer diffusion of seed and agroecology approaches has made organic farming diffuse in Farmers’ Organizations (PO/FO) and very cost effective because the users of technologies are right at where the technologies are developed. The technologies developed are what the farmers need. Due to common language, farm

This study analyzed examples of sustainable ecosystem-based agriculture where management methods supported livelihoods of smallholders while at the same time local ecosystem services were enhanced in Ethiopia, Brazil, and the Philippines. Participation by farmers and collective actions were found to be a crucial driving force, as local specific knowledge and learning by doing were main components of the development. Social cohesion, particularly through associations and cooperatives, and improved marketing opportunities were also important drivers. Furthermore, recognition by authorities at all levels was perceived as crucial. Effects of climate change, insecure property rights, and political instability were potential threats. The possibilities of such systems to be scaled up beyond self-sufficiency raised further questions., AuthorCount:7