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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