Glossary

Agroecology

Agroecology is a science, an agricultural practice and a social movement. It is a systemic approach that looks at the whole food system, not just its individual parts such as agriculture, nutrition and all the steps in between. Agroecology builds on the 13 principles of the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE), which describe fundamental values.

At the level of the agroecosystem, these are recycling, input reduction, soil health, animal welfare, biodiversity, synergies and economic diversification. At the level of the food system, these are knowledge co-creation, social values & diets, fairness, connectivity, land & resource governance and participation. Agroecology is a transformation path that, according to Gliessman, runs through 5 levels: Agroecological transformation according to Gliessman.

Agroecological transformation according to Gliessman

Gliessman (2016) describes how the principles of agroecology can be implemented on farms, in consumption and in society with five levels of transformation:

Level 1: Increasing resource efficiency and reducing expensive, scarce and environmentally harmful inputs (examples: Precision agriculture, digitalisation, integrated crop protection).
Level 2: Substitution of conventional inputs and practices with agroecological alternatives (examples: organic pesticides, compost fertilisation).
Level 3: Reorganisation of agroecosystems on the basis of ecological processes. At this level, fundamental changes to the overall system design will eliminate the causes of many of the problems that persist at levels 1 and 2.
Level 4: Strengthening connections between consumers and developing alternative food networks (examples: Community Supported Agriculture, school on the farm, school gardens, corporate volunteering).
Level 5: Building a new global food system based on participation, regionality, fairness and justice. The objectives and framework conditions of agricultural, food, health and environmental policy are harmonised and conflicts of objectives are significantly reduced. This also requires improved terms of trade in international treaties and in world trade (e.g. environmental and social criteria).

Resource programme

Within the limits of the funds available, the Swiss Government provides subsidies to improve the sustainability of the use of natural resources in agriculture. The target areas are natural resources relevant to agriculture, such as soil, water, air, biodiversity and energy. The programme also promotes the optimisation of the sustainable use of production inputs such as pesticides, veterinary medicines, fertilisers, animal feed and energy.

Resource programme