Agroecology has returned to the global spotlight, as one approach to bring farmers closer to meeting challenges [like rising food demand]. Agroecology emerged as a science which supports food security and sustainable agriculture. In the 1960s, it was studied as the interaction between crops and the environment …. Promoting farming systems that are beneficial to producers and society, as well as the earth’s ecosystems has become a central theme ….
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Keeping pests at bay in the safest way
There is no single failsafe solution for crop pests like Fall Armyworm: farmers need to make use of all available tools and solutions. The first port of call is a biological approach, [including] sophisticated microbial inoculants, which are referred to as “beneficial bacteria” that are developed from a crop’s natural enemies, such as bacteria, fungi and viruses ….
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Optimizing external inputs
Optimizing external inputs and improving soil health are two key agrocological outcomes the United Nations has identified …. The African Agricultural Technology Foundation is applying biotechnology …. to produce rice that is both efficient in its use of nitrogen and water. This means the 20 million or more smallholder farmers that depend on rice as a staple food need to use less of these two crucial inputs. Less nitrogen is lost, soils become healthier, and crops can grow even when water is scarce.
Read full, original article: Six Ways Agroecology Can Help Shape the Future of Farming
