Agroecological Practices for Sustainable Agriculture

The following sections are included:

• Preface
• Contents

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• The conversion of farming systems
• Principles versus practices
• Agroecological diversification
• Hidden connections
• Conclusions
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Interpretations and concepts of agroecology
• Agroecological cropping practices
• Agroecological practices in European policies
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• References

Agroecology is the integrative study of the ecology of the entire food system, encompassing ecological, economic, and social dimensions. It focuses on working with and understanding the interactions between plants, animals, humans, and the environment within agricultural systems. By bringing ecological principles to bear in agroecosystems, through ecological intensification, novel management approaches can be identified, building on key interactions and strengthening virtuous cycles in agricultural production that would not otherwise be considered. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2014)

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Transition processes: Increasing the presence of ecological nitrogen management in the Corn Belt
• Conclusions and future research needs
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Differences between assembly processes in natural and agroecosystems
• Disturbance as a unifying concept
• Linking a disturbance-based assembly framework with species traits
• Filters in the context of weed evolution
• Feedback dynamics can alter the nature and magnitude of management and biotic filters
• Agroecological weed management practices in the context of filters
• Putting a disturbance-based assembly framework into practice
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• General issues about integration of genetically modified crops in agroecological practices and IPM systems
• The potential of GM crops as a tool for sustainable agroecological management schemes
• Opportunities for IPM, based on insect resistance in GM crops
• Herbicide tolerance as a component tool in IPM
• Disease resistance: An essential goal in agroecological practices
• GM impacts of simplifying rotations
• Present day integration of GM crops in agroecological practice
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Pollinators in dissemination of biological control agents
• Vector species
• Dispensers
• Microbial control agent formulations
• Strawberry and raspberry grey mould control
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Background: Smallholder coffee farmer vulnerability and agroecology as a solution
• Engaging communities in a participatory learning process
• CAN case study project: Youth leadership and food sovereignty in San Ramón, Nicaragua and Veracruz, Mexico
• The five levels of agroecological change
• Evaluation of the community-based CAN case study
• Discussion and evaluation of the change process
• Acknowledgement
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• A systems approach for impact assessment
• Indicators of arable sustainability and system function
• Overall assessment of system indicators
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Ecological processes in livestock systems
• Management principles
• Accompanying agroecological transition in livestock farming systems
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Agroecological principles
• Agroecological practices
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Major characteristics of fish pond systems
• Fish pond landscapes in Europe and fish pond systems in the world
• Agroecological principles
• Agroecological management in selected fish production systems
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Midwest summer course in agroecosystem analysis
• Integrative agroecological practices at field level
• Integrative evaluation of farm sustainability
• Evaluation of farms as components of rural landscapes
• Education on farming practices, farms, landscapes, and food systems
• Conclusions on future emphasis in holistic education in agroecology
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Progression principle of the curriculum: How to teach agroecological practices in an integrative way
• Understanding an agroecosystem, its different components, and the drivers of its design — An initial introduction of the concepts of ecosystem services and agroecological practices (year 2)
• Practices as a cog in the wheel of cropping systems: Integration in time and space (year 3)
• Agroecological practices as elementary components of organic farming at territorial scale (year 4)
• Agroecological practices: From field to territory (year 5)
• Agroecological practices as research forefronts (year 5)
• Professional training sessions in agroecology with focus on soil management
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgement
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Observation skills as a key capacity
• Learning and practicing dialogue
• Education through participation
• Learning through reflection
• Education is projected into the future by visioning
• Summary and conclusions
• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction
• Scale of application and systems change
• Potentials for adoption of agroecological practices and systems
• Agroecological practices in European, USA and other national agricultural policies
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• References

The following section is included:

• Index