Agro-Ecology is a movement, practice, and science based on traditional and scientific knowledge that bridges socio-economic and ecological aspects. It serves as a support of the food sovereignty framework that facilitates provision of seeds, water, and land among other industrious resources as well as economic opportunities to landless individuals and small farmers. Example of agro-ecology include the change from monoculture to diversification through increasing heterogeneity and diversity. Another example of agro-ecology is the change from reliance on food imports to food self-sufficiency by focusing on prioritizing on production of local food over exports. These practices were applied in Cuba, which significantly improved their food sovereignty (Third Work Network & SCOLA, 2015).
The pros of agro-ecological systems include enhancing health of soil. Organic matter generates substances that improves soil biological activity, a lot of organic matter, and improved soil structure. In addition, it increases soil diversity that checks on disease outbreaks, availability of nutrients to plants, and promotes checks and balances. Therefore, agro-ecological systems plays a crucial role in protecting and providing various ecosystem services and creating environmental and social benefits. The cons of agro-ecological systems include limited natural recycling, which is supplemented by addition of artificial fertilizer. Population is not only controlled by natural means but also by cultivation and pesticides. It hinders the artificial community from achieving its goals (Third Work Network & SCOLA, 2015).
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Food forest is a type of garden design that focuses on more on localized food systems than global. It promotes greater biodiversity, maximum exposure, and ensure better yield. The concept of Food Forests can be applied to the principles of agro-ecology by minimizing the input needs to function productivity, which will foster conservation and produce greater environmental benefits thus prevent depletion of resources. It can be applied in defining their own food policies without external intervention, which will foster cultural appropriate farming practices and achieve healthy harvests. Therefore, these practices will help to fulfill the agro ecological principles of improving crop productivity, soil quality, and plant health (Lawton, 2014).
References
Lawton, G. (2014). Designing Food Forests across Three Climate Zones with Geoff Lawton. Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved from: https://permaculturenews.org/2014/05/10/designing-food-forests-across-three-climate-zones-geoff-lawton/
Third Work Network & SCOLA (2015). Agroecology: Key Concepts, Principles, and Practices. Retrieved from: https://agroeco.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Agroecology-training-manual-TWN-SOCLA.pdf
