Agroecology and the Transition to Sustainable Food Systems

This ongoing public lecture series provides a variety of perspectives on the topic of agroecology. Experts on various elements of agroecology share their state-of-the-art knowledge. They discuss benefits and the potential of agroecology to contribute to sustainable food system transformation but also challenges and limitations.

Many of the public lectures were thematically structured along the 13 principles of agroecology, proposed by the external page High-​Level Panel of Experts for Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security.

In the spring semester of 2023, five lectures highlighted these principles:

• Connectivity: Ensure proximity and confidence between producers and consumers through promotion of fair and short distribution networks and by re-embedding food systems into local economies.
• Input Reduction: Reduce or eliminate dependency on purchased inputs and increase self-sufficiency.
• Recycling: Preferentially use local renewable resources and close as far as possible resource cycles of nutrients and biomass.
• Fairness: Support dignified and robust livelihoods for all actors engaged in food systems, especially small-scale food producers, based on fair trade, fair employment and fair treatment of intellectual property rights.
• Soil Health: Secure and enhance soil health and functioning for improved plant growth, particularly by managing organic matter and enhancing soil biological activity.

In the fall semester, each lecture provided a different perspective on agroecological transformation:

• Science Perspective on Agroecological Transformation;
• Policy Perspective on Agroecological Transformation;
• Agroecology as a Tool for Food System Transformation.

Agroecology

Around the world, food systems are struggling to provide healthy, diversified diets for all. At the same time, sustainable farming practices that ensure environmental health as well as social wellbeing urgently need to be implemented. To address these challenges, agroecology is on the rise around the world.

Agroecology is a promising integrated and holistic approach that aims at transforming food systems. At its core is the sustainable conservation and protection of biodiversity and natural resources through the co-creation and sharing of knowledge. It is based on bottom-up, territorial, and interdisciplinary processes striving to deliver contextualized solutions to local problems. Special emphasis lies on the empowerment of farmers and other food system actors as key agents of change.