Applied Agroecology

Agroecology is defined as the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural systems.  This approach relies on the management and reintroduction of biological processes and ecological relationships that can occur naturally on the farm as opposed to reliance on high doses of external inputs (Kanyama-Phiri et al. 2008).  Further, agroecological approaches recognize the crucial role of local agroecological and socioeconomic conditions, and often enlist farmer participation to improve relevance of research based on those local conditions.  The Applied Agroecology pages below highlight key examples of our agroecological research in sub-Saharan Africa, including both technological and process-driven approaches.

Work Cited:

Kanyama-Phiri, G., K. Wellard, and S.S. Snapp. 2008. Introduction in: Snapp, S.S. and B. Pound (Eds.) 2008. Agricultural Systems: Agroecology and Rural Innovation for Development. Academic Press. pp. 1-24.