Agroecological approaches have gained prominence in scientific, agricultural and political discourse in recent years, suggesting pathways to transform agricultural and food systems that address these issues (Wezel et al., 2020). According to FAO, agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. It seeks to optimize the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while also addressing the need for socially equitable food systems within which people can exercise choice over what they eat and how and where it is produced. Parallel nature-based solutions for agriculture are organic agriculture, regenerative agriculture, nature-inclusive agriculture, nature-positive agriculture, biodiversity-friendly agriculture and others. They all have a place in a multifunctional landscape.
This KEN brings together all knowledge holders addressing biodiversity in the agricultural system and the transformation of the food system in order to halt the biodiversity crisis, including the monitoring of biodiversity in relation to agriculture and the achievement of the nature restoration goals related to agriculture.
Aims
- Optimize full use of our research by the policy arena
- Advancing knowledge exchange on the importance of biodiversity for agriculture and the need for and the pathways towards transformative change in the food system
- Enhance collaboration between the community members of the KEN
- Closing the science - policy implementation gaps
- Highlight case studies and show impact on decision-making
- Mainstreaming transformative approaches into policy and decision making regarding the food system
- Building awareness, capacities, and dialogues on the importance of biodiversity for agriculture and on the need for and the pathways towards transformative change in the food system