Agroecology

Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural systems. Agroecology is a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving. Agroecological research considers interactions of all important biophysical, technical and socioeconomic components of farming systems and regards these systems as the fundamental units of study, where mineral cycles, energy transformations, biological processes and socioeconomic relationships are analyzed as a whole in an interdisciplinary fashion. Agroecology is a concept that inspires more and more people, but also means different things to different people. There is no single way to define or practise agroecology, but the concept unifies different groups of scientists, practitioners in the food system, and social movements. The book demonstrates how to use an ecosystem approach to design and manage agro-ecosystems for sustainability.