Agroecology to make positive changes in the global food security situation
The UN predicts that by 2050, the world's population could increase from the current 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion. However, while continuing the existing rate of consumption, there will be shortage of fresh water, the area of arable land will reduce and oceans will have less clean water in the for fisheries. This urges to find a solid solution to future food security.
These days the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations held in Rome the 2nd International Agroecology Symposium, which brought together more than 700 politicians, specialists in agroecology, agronomists, representatives of civil society, private sector and UN agencies.
The keynote of the forum was the actualization of the implementation of the principles of agroecology in the world agricultural systems, including through the adoption of the necessary political decisions and investments.
Agroecology is both the science and practice of managing nature's own ecological processes to increase agricultural productivity and prevent such negative phenomena as pests, diseases or soil degradation. Harmonizing relations between flora, fauna, people and environment, agroecology accumulates knowledge and practice of farmers and food producers from all over the world. And agroecology is capable to ensure the sustainability of food systems, addressing all its links from cultivation, production to sales of finished products.
This idea was voiced in the remarks by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.
Food production in the world is still based on resource-intensive methods of agriculture, for which the environment has to pay a high price - the condition of soils, forests, water, air quality, biodiversity degrade. Paradoxically, of the 815 million hungry people, 70 % are family farmers.
As the head of FAO pointed out, the focus on increasing production at any cost has not been sufficient to eradicate hunger, despite the fact that nowadays we produce more than enough to feed everyone. “We are seeing a global epidemic of obesity”, he added.
Silva called the international community for supporting a transformative change in the methods of production and consumption of food. “We need to put forward sustainable food systems that offer health and nutritious food, and also preserve the environment. Agroecology can offer several contributions to this process”, he said.
Today, on the last day of the forum, Scaling up Agroecology Initiative was launched. This document serves as a kind of invitation to partnership for governments, representatives of the private sector, civil society, research centers - in short, all who are interested in a stable future, which can be ensured by transition to agroecology. As noted in the Initiative, agroecology is relevant to the success in achieving 15 Sustainable Development Goals out of 17.
One of the oldest practical examples of agroecology is the eco - system designed and used by Chinese farmers for two and a half millennia in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. The principle is mulberry leaves are eaten by silkworms, whose organic waste, in turn, feed the fish. Recycled biomaterial in pond sludge serves as a fertilizer for mulberry trees, closing the production cycle.
Another illustration of agroecology in action is the project for the rehabilitation of mangroves in coastal areas of Kenya, which has significantly improved the biodiversity of fish and other aquatic animals. This has given rise to local businesses and increased confidence in the future among young entrepreneurs, who have established the supply of crab and other products to local restaurants and exports to foreign markets.
Thus, agroecology, use the right levers offered by nature itself, can protect natural resources, promote adaptation to climate change and stimulate economic and market activity,.
The first Symposium on Agroecology was initiated by FAO in 2014. Since then, a number of regional forums have been held in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. To date, the global agroecology agenda covers 170 countries.
