Knowra Agroecology Agroecology Agroecology applies ecological principles to the study and design of agricultural systems. It examines interactions among crops, organisms, people, and environments to support productive and sustainable farming.
Agroecosystem : An agricultural system considered as an ecosystem of crops, organisms, people, and environmental processes. This is the system agroecology analyzes and manages.
Agroforestry : Land-use systems that deliberately combine trees with crops or livestock. Trees add habitat, resources, and microclimates to agricultural landscapes.
Efraim Hernandez Xolocotzi : A Mexican botanist and agronomist known for documenting traditional agricultural knowledge and crop diversity. His work helped connect ecological research with farmers’ knowledge in Mexico.
Industrial agriculture : Large-scale farming that relies heavily on mechanization, standardized inputs, and specialized production. Its input-intensive model differs from agroecology’s emphasis on ecological processes and diversification.
Agrobiodiversity : The diversity of plants, animals, and microorganisms relevant to food and agriculture. Agroecological diversification can conserve and make use of this diversity.
Crop rotation : The practice of growing different crops in sequence on the same land. Rotating crops can disrupt pest cycles and maintain soil fertility.
Conservation agriculture : A farming approach based on minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop diversification. Its soil-protective practices overlap with agroecological goals.
Miguel Altieri : A Chilean agronomist whose work helped develop modern agroecology as a science and movement. His research and writing established influential frameworks for agroecological farming.
Organic farming : Agriculture governed by standards restricting or prohibiting many synthetic inputs. Organic certification regulates inputs, while agroecology also examines system design and social relations.
Food sovereignty : The right of peoples to define their own food and agriculture systems. Agroecology is often connected to local control over food production and policy.
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