The Agroecology Movement in Costa Rica. Aims, Actors, Structures and Relation to Organic Agriculture

The Agroecology Movement in Costa Rica. Aims, Actors, Structures and Relation to Organic Agriculture
Author: Moritz Stüber
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2018-10-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3668818029

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2018 in the subject Agrarian Studies, grade: 2,3, University of Hohenheim (Zentrum Ökologischer Landbau Universität Hohenheim), language: English, abstract: Agroecology, just like Organic Agriculture in Europe, belongs to the huge amount of approaches, which aim to perform agriculture in a more sustainable way. The Agroecology movement, as it is named by the famous agronomist and agroecological expert Altieri, has its origins in Latin America. The approach of Agroecology is integrating ecological measures and traditional knowledge into the farming system, aiming to perform agriculture in a more sustainable and also to attain food sovereignty and food security. Regarding to the sheer size of Latin America, several regions are subdivided by having their own sub-movement. By focussing on Costa Rica as part of Central America, this case study aims to give a proper understanding how the Central American movement works. The sub-movement in Central America is called the farmer-to-farmer movement. Here, knowledge and technology are passed on between several farmers within one region, seeing themselves as peer. Trainers, so called promotors are installed, are doing the preparatory work, as they are the link between knowledge and the soon-to-be Agroecological farmers. Workshops are held, and a pre-structuring is given, to enable and simplify the application of Agroecology. CAC can be rather seen as a key methodology, having its origins in Central America. For the Agroecological farmers, the CAC approach is not to be categorised nowhere near Agroecology. CAC is just a method, whereas the farmers are practicing Agroecology as a philosophy. Their philosophy is including culture, traditional practices and community living, together with exchange and political advocacy. Public instruments and structures are not given solely for Agroecology, but for several sustainable agriculture approaches together. A law on Organic Agriculture was implemented in 2007. Organic Agriculture should not be equated to Agroecology. NGOs and public bodies, that are working on the field of sustainable agricultural approaches, are aiming to unite all different systems, e.g. Agroecology and Organic Agriculture. NGOs are aiming mostly for political power, coming with one big movement, while the government is rather interested in the economic aspects of a huge sustainable production. To the farmers, Organic Agriculture was introduced to be a way to gain price premiums, by just adding seals to their product.

Agroecology Now!

Agroecology Now!
Author: Colin Ray Anderson
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 204
Release: 2020-12-07
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3030613151

This open access book develops a framework for advancing agroecology transformations focusing on power, politics and governance. It explores the potential of agroecology as a sustainable and socially just alternative to today’s dominant food regime. Agroecology is an ecological approach to farming that addresses climate change and biodiversity loss while contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Agroecology transformations represent a challenge to the power of corporations in controlling food system and a rejection of the industrial food systems that are at the root of many social and ecological ills. In this book the authors analyse the conditions that enable and disable agroecology’s potential and present six ‘domains of transformation’ where it comes into conflict with the dominant food system. They argue that food sovereignty, community-self organization and a shift to bottom-up governance are critical for the transformation to a socially just and ecologically viable food system. This book will be a valuable resource to researchers, students, policy makers and professionals across multidisciplinary areas including in the fields of food politics, international development, sustainability and resilience.

Agroecological Practices For Sustainable Agriculture: Principles, Applications, And Making The Transition

Agroecological Practices For Sustainable Agriculture: Principles, Applications, And Making The Transition
Author: Alexander Wezel
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 502
Release: 2017-06-19
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 178634307X

Good agroecological practices are indispensable for the development of sustainable agriculture. In this book, principles, diversity and applications of agroecological practices for a range of systems are presented, transforming scientific research and participatory knowledge of production into practical application. It illustrates a broad range of research and teaching being used within the farming community to demonstrate best practice and current state-of-play within the field. Agroecological methods used in crop farming, grass-based livestock farming, fish production, and other complex farming systems are discussed. Conclusions are drawn from studies to provide an outlook on future trends of agroecological practices and on policies supporting implementation.Due to emphasis on real-life application, it is relevant not only to students of the agricultural sciences and public policy, but also to researchers, stakeholders and policy makers involved in the development of sustainable agriculture.

The World of Organic Agriculture

The World of Organic Agriculture
Author: Minou Yussefi-Menzler
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2010-09-23
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1136535233

The new edition of this annual publication (previously published solely by IFOAM and FiBL) documents recent developments in global organic agriculture. It includes contributions from representatives of the organic sector from throughout the world and provides comprehensive organic farming statistics that cover surface area under organic management, numbers of farms and specific information about commodities and land use in organic systems. The book also contains information on the global market of the burgeoning organic sector, the latest developments in organic certification, standards and regulations, and insights into current status and emerging trends for organic agriculture by continent from the worlds foremost experts. For this edition, all statistical data and regional review chapters have been thoroughly updated. Completely new chapters on organic agriculture in the Pacific, on the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture and on organic aquaculture have been added. Published with IFOAM and FiBL

Best Practices for Organic Policy

Best Practices for Organic Policy
Author: UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development
Publisher:
Total Pages: 120
Release: 2008
Genre: Organic farming
ISBN:

"The report gives some general background about organic agriculture and the reasons to support the development of organic agriculture ... The report relates experiences from the cases of seven countries: Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Malaysia, Thailand and South Africa, as well as from other parts of the world. It shows that organic agriculture is developing strongly in all the seven countries, despite quite different conditions and very different levels and kinds of government involvement. Most organic production is for export purposes but countries like Egypt, Malaysia and South Africa have developed substantial domestic markets. Malaysia is even a net importer of organic food."--Exec. summary.

Agroecology

Agroecology
Author: Peter Rosset
Publisher: Practical Action
Total Pages: 146
Release: 2017
Genre: TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
ISBN: 9781853399947

Introduction : why agroecology? -- The scientific principles of agroecology -- The scientific evidence for agroecology : can it feed the world? -- Scaling up agroecology : social process and organization -- The politics of agroecology -- Conclusions : conform or transform?

Justice and Food Security in a Changing Climate

Justice and Food Security in a Changing Climate
Author: European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics. Congress
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2021
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9789086869152

The UN's Sustainable Development Goals saw the global community agree to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. However, the number of chronically undernourished people is increasing continuously. Ongoing climate change and the action needed to adapt to it are very likely to aggravate this situation by limiting agricultural land and water resources and changing environmental conditions for food production. Climate change and the actions it requires raise questions of justice, especially regarding food security. These key concerns of ethics and justice for food security due to climate change challenges are the focus of this book, which brings together work by scholars from a wide range of disciplines and a multitude of perspectives. These experts discuss the challenges to food security posed by mitigation, geoengineering, and adaptation measures that tackle the impacts of climate change. Others address the consequences of a changing climate for agriculture and food production and how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected food security and animal welfare.

Agroecology

Agroecology
Author: Stephen R. Gliessman
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2014-12-09
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1498728464

Agroecology is a science, a productive practice, and part of a social movement that is at the forefront of transforming food systems to sustainability. Building upon the ecological foundation of the agroecosystem, Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems, Third Edition provides the essential foundation for understanding sustainability i