S15 - Session O1 - Special address: Agroecology, a viable path for food production in a planet in crisis

Authors: Clara Nicholls

Agricultural production has been disrupted and food prices have been rising after the impact of the COVID pandemic and extreme weather patterns. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has added to the crisis by affecting supplies of grains and fertilizers whose costs have skyrocketed, coupled with inflation into double digits in many countries is choking the capability of farmers to access and apply fuel dependent chemical inputs.

Given this global scenario, only agroecology holds a transformative potential to cope with future challenges posed by ecological ruptures like climate change and COVID-19, by exhibiting high levels of diversity and resilience, both emergent properties known to reduce risk from climate change or other threats, while delivering reasonable yields and providing key ecosystem services to society.

Agroecology shows a different way forward by providing the principles on how to design and manage agricultural systems best able to withstand future crises – whether pest outbreaks, pandemics, climate disruptions, or financial meltdowns, by territorializing food production and consumption. Thousands of agroecological initiatives around the world that revitalize peasant and traditional farming systems which have stood the test of time improve food sovereignty while

contributing to biodiversity conservation at the farm and landscape level. Plant species and genetic diversity enhancement boosts the overall resilience of food systems against new climate and environmental changes.

Transformative change in agriculture involves dismantling the industrial agrifood complex and the corporate control over production and consumption. It requires restoring local food systems with greater reliance on alternative food networks and solidarious alliances between producers and consumers. Markets provisioned by biodiverse farms, oriented to local and regional markets are more flexible to respond to changes and perturbations such as price changes and collapse of

centralized supply chains by reducing the dependence of producers and consumers from large corporations that control global supply food and input chains prone to political, economic and climate disruptions.

The polycrsis reminds us of the urgent need that food production be in the hands of small producers, peasants and urban farmers that produce under the agroecological principles of diversity, efficiency and synergy. It is the only way to ensure the supply of fresh food, at affordable prices and in local

markets, even in the midst of climate, pandemic or other disruptions. But the weight of changing the food system cannot rest only on famers’ shoulders. It is crucial to raise awareness of urban dwellers of the significance and maintenance of biodiverse, adaptable farming systems associated with family agriculture, and the realization that eating is both an ecological and political act. When consumers support local farmers, instead of the corporate food chain which is more vulnerable than small farmer food webs to natural and human caused interruptions, they create socio- ecological sustainability and resilience."