The failings of dominant food systems are becoming impossible to deny. Current production methods are severely polluting. They are the cause of malnutrition. They are also inequitable, and unjustifiably wasteful.

And they are concentrated in the hands of few corporations. Entangled in the multiple crises humanity is facing, establishing global food security is considered a key challenge of our time.

Against the backdrop of climate change, resource shortages and urbanisation, the question of how to ensure adequate food supply for everyone looms rather large.

The usual response emphasises intensifying the output of agriculture through the common model of petrochemical, large-scale, one-crop, intensive farming.

But business as usual is no longer an option for food and agriculture. The global agriculture system will have to be radically transformed to avoid further environmental and social problems, as was concluded by a three-year study commissioned by the UN and the World Bank involving more than 400 scientists. This report, as well as subsequent international studies by the UN Conference on Trade and Development and the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, have convincingly demonstrated that agroecology – farming that imitates natural ecosystems – is the most promising pathway to sustainable food systems on all continents.

Agroecology

Agroecology is based on the idea that farms should mimic the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems. In ecosystems, there is no “waste”: nutrients are recycled indefinitely. Agroecology aims to close nutrient loops – returning all nutrients that come out of the soil, back to the soil. In the case of vegetable farming, for example, this could be achieved through composting of vegetable scraps, human and farmyard manure.

Planting coffee crops among trees, known as agroforestry, helps dilute the impacts of climate change (Shutterstock)

Agroecology also harnesses natural processes to control pests and build soil fertility. Agroecological practices include integrating trees with livestock and crops (agro-silvo-pastoral farming), producing food from forests (agroforestry), growing several crops together in one plot (polyculture) and using locally adapted and genetically diverse crops and livestock.

Throughout the world, small-scale farmers are uniting under the banner of agroecology. They do so not only to produce healthy and nutritious food, enhance biodiversity and adapt to climate change, but also to improve their income and working conditions by developing short food chains and local markets. Local ecologies and economies are being regenerated from below through an insistence on food sovereignty (community control over the way food is produced, traded and consumed) and transformative agroecology (as opposed to more watered down versions of agroecology, such as “climate-smart” or “conservation” agriculture).

A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Show all 21 1 /21 A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons A rainbow arcs over The Angel Hotel and the town centre Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Cakes and pastries from The Angel’s in-house bakery Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Soda bread at The Angel’s bakery – it’s difficult not to take as many you can carry Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Abergavenny market, the traditional heart of the town, filled with food, clothes and antiques Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Country Pantry butchers in Abergavenny market Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Wintertime selection of fruit and veg at Abergavenny market Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons June’s jams at the market – bring your jars to help with recycling Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Monmouthshire pinot noir from Ancre Hill Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons The Angel Hotel’s electric car, free (and eco-friendly) for guests to take for a spin Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Plenty of quirky little side-streets lead off from Abergavenny’s main thoroughfare Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Confectionery at Jules James’s Black Mountain Gold Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Just a few of Black Mountain Gold’s many chocolate varieties Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Hereford butcher on Abergavenny high street, selling local beef, lamb and pork Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Welsh beef at Hereford butchers Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Snowdonia cheese at Hereford butcher, from a little further afield but unmissable when it comes to Welsh cheese Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons ‘I’ll be there now in a minute!’ Welsh Ale from The Marches Delicatessen, off the high street Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Monmouthshire gelato at Little Treats café Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Abergavenny Castle’s visitor centre Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons A Welsh dragon in the grounds of the castle Pics by Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons The Cellar Room at The Angel, the perfect setting for afternoon tea Jo Turner A foodie weekend in Abergavenny, gateway to the Brecons Savouries and sweets served with afternoon tea, made daily by specialist baker Sally Lane Jo Turner

But changes also need to be made on a larger scale. Some bodies recognise this. Faced with the growing social and environmental costs of industrial farming, the European Union adopted a New European Consensus for Development in June 2017. This commits the EU to: “Support agroecological practices and actions to reduce post-harvest losses and food waste, as well as to protect soils, conserve water resources, halt, prevent and reverse deforestation, and maintain biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.”

But opening up agroecological pathways to sustainable food systems in the EU is a major challenge. Radical changes in funding priorities and research agendas are necessary. Similarly, a total overhaul of overseas aid programmes is urgently needed to support crucial transitions to agroecology in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Absent aid

However, this is not currently happening. Our recently published research shows that very little overseas aid is directed at agroecological research and development. Since 1 January 2010, no funds at all have been directed at or been committed to projects with the main focus on development or promotion of agroecological practices.

We must move away from monoculture farming and build strong ecosystems with lots of biodiversity (Shutterstock)

It is true that minor funds have been directed at projects which promote resource efficiency in farming. But this is a very basic agroecological principle. Based on the most generous interpretation of available figures, our study shows for the first time that aid for agroecological projects is less than 5 per cent of aid given for agricultural purposes and less than 0.5 per cent of the total UK aid budget. By largely supporting industrial agriculture, UK aid priorities contribute very little to the transition towards global socio-ecological sustainability.

Despite the obscure nature of available information, it is reasonable to assume that there is a similar lack of funding for agroecology in the overseas aid priorities of other so-called developed countries. There is, after all, a chronic lack of internal investment in agroecology within these nations.

Business as usual may rhetorically no longer be an option in food and agriculture. But it will be, as usual, practically the only option as long as these stark funding asymmetries remain.

In April 2018, government representatives from around the world will travel to Rome to discuss how to scale up agroecology. This UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s International Symposium on Agroecology is a unique opportunity to rethink priorities for agricultural development worldwide. Among the many actions needed, we urgently need to see a substantial increase in public funding for agroecology – both within and between nations.