Healthy farms, healthy people: An agroecological approach

Although the primary role of agriculture is to produce food and fiber, there are many other important functions as well, among them maintenance of clean water and other natural resources, preservation of biodiversity, promotion of healthy environments, and contribution to the socioeconomic viability of rural communities. The emerging scientific field of agroecology offers an integrated approach to managing the interrelated ecological, social and production-based components of agricultural areas in ways that protect ecological processes while producing food and other products societies need. This presentation will review key concepts of this whole-systems approach to agriculture and its contribution to healthy and sustainable food systems. It will explore examples of farming and plant and animal breeding methods that are achieving success in producing abundant, affordable food while also reducing pesticide use, enhancing water quality, promoting biodiversity, and building healthy soils that can withstand erosion and may play a role in combating climate change by increasing carbon sequestration.