TERMINOLOGY
Agroecology is the way to go for smallholders
There are many different approaches to the growing of food and managing our agricultural resources . Some of the methods include sustainable farming , permaculture , biodynamic methods , biological farming and organic agriculture . A philosophy that is being put forward as being appropriate for emerging farmers and smallholders is agroecology . The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines agroecology as “ an ecological approach to agriculture that views agricultural areas as ecosystems and is concerned with the ecological impact of agricultural practices ”. Ecology is the study of the relationships between plants , animals , people , and their environment , and , most
An approach to farming that brings together various techniques and practices in a sustainable , environmentally-friendly way
importantly , the balance amongst these relationships . Agroecologists talk of the practice of sustainable agriculture ( often based on local indigenous knowledge ), as well as being associated with a growing movement of people globally advocating for a different and sustainable way to consider agriculture and its relationship with society . Five core principles are associated with agroecology as the applied science of making agriculture more sustainable . These can be summarised as : ❑ Balance and optimise
nutrient flows within the system by enhancing the recycling of biomass . ( Biomass refers to the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume or it can refer to organic matter used as a fuel .) ❑ Secure favourable soil conditions for plant growth by managing soil organic matter and raising the activity of soil organisms . ❑ Minimise resource losses that arise from the flow of energy , water or air by designing relatively closed systems . ❑ Promote the functional biodiversity of the system
( species that work together to make the system more healthy and productive ), including within and between species , above and below ground , and in time and space ( on farms and in the wider landscape ). ❑ Enhance the beneficial biological interactions and synergisms between system components that can provide key ecological processes and services within the system . In practice this means that the agro-ecosystem will comprise complex “ polycultures ” that mix crops , trees and other beneficial plants and animals in the system ; makes use of successions of plants and crop rotations that increase diversity between seasons and over the years ; uses cover crops and creates micro-
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