The Science and Practice of Agroecology : Pathway to Sustainable Food Systems

This book provides a detailed overview of key developments in agroecology – the theoretical foundation for more sustainable approaches such as regenerative agriculture. It focuses on how agroecological knowledge can be translated into farming practices across distinct agroecosystems.

The planet’s reliance on industrial agriculture has resulted in serious environmental and social costs, including high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, biodiversity loss and widening gaps in food security across the world. Transitioning to agroecological practices is recognised as one solution to reversing the unsustainable trajectory of energy-intensive food systems.

The science and practice of agroecology: Pathway to sustainable food systems reviews where we are in terms of the ecological theory underpinning agroecosystem function, the synergies, yield and other tradeoffs involved in practical agroecosystems as well as their social dimensions.

• Summarises the latest developments in ecological principles underpinning agroecology which provide the foundation for approaches such as regenerative agriculture
• Reviews how to balance trade-offs in agroecosystems to balance yields with resilience and protection of biodiversity
• Assesses how to optimise practical agroecosystems by involving farmers and using open-source technology and indigenous knowledge