Paradigms of agriculture

It is becoming increasingly clear that our food and agriculture system is not working for the vast majority of humans, other animals, and ecosystems. We need to shift from the present unsustainable paradigm of industrial agriculture to one that is ecologically sustainable (without which economic, social, and environmental sustainability is not possible). This chapter explores what such an ecologically sustainable agricultural paradigm might look like. It starts by discussing the origins and impacts of the current dominant paradigm—the industrial Green Revolution paradigm. It then reviews the origins and characteristics of some of the alternative agricultural paradigms that have developed alongside and in response to the industrial paradigm, namely Organic Agriculture, Agroecology, Regenerative Agriculture, and Conservation Agriculture. This is followed by an assessment of the compatibility of these alternative paradigms with ecological sustainability, and suggests ways to optimize their potential for sustainability. The chapter concludes with a discussion of ways forward and future prospects for alternative agriculture paradigms in the context of an “inclusively responsible” food and agriculture system.