Figshare · 2021 · 18 citations · 0 references
The rapidly evolving threats to food and farming systems — from climate shocks to pest stresses — \nmake it more crucial than ever to ensure a continuous flow of knowledge and innovation. Agricultural \nresearch for development (AgR4D) is particularly important in sub-Saharan Africa, where climate \nthreats are immediate and food insecurity remains high. \nWith unsustainable forms of intensification driving negative social and environmental impacts in Africa, \nand with COVID-19 revealing major vulnerabilities in food supply chains, agroecology is emerging as \na viable pathway for building sustainable and resilient food systems. Agroecology combines different \nplants and animals, and uses natural synergies – not synthetic chemicals – to regenerate soils, \nfertilize crops, and fight pests. Diversity in the field increases access to fresh and nutritious foods for \ncommunities and keeps traditional food cultures alive. Agroecology also improves farmers’ livelihoods \nthrough diverse income streams, resilience to shocks, and short supply chains that retain value in the \ncommunity. In other words, agroecology has the potential to reconcile the economic, environmental \nand social dimensions of sustainability.