#Agroecology as the path to #ClimateResilient and just food systems

By Dr Susan Chomba, Director Food, Land and Water at World Resources Institute Africa

Monday, July 28, 2025 — updated on August 02, 2025

"The 2nd National Agroecology Symposium, held in Nairobi from July 10–11, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in #Kenya’s food systems transformation.

"The event brought together farmers, researchers, civil society, private sector actors, media, and policymakers with one clear message: Agroecology must move from the margins to the centre of national agricultural strategy. It is not just an alternative; it is the most viable path forward to achieve our intertwined goals for #people, #nature, and #climate—without compromising one for the other.
Agroecology offers a coherent framework for #RegeneratingSoils, producing safe and nutritious food, and building #ClimateResilient and #equitable #FoodSystems.

"As #ClimateChange intensifies, this approach provides Kenya and other #AfricanNations a powerful opportunity to lead a just transition—rooted in #LocalKnowledge, backed by #science, and responsive to the realities of #smallholder #farmers.

A crossroads for Kenya’s food systems

"Kenya’s food systems are at a crossroads. The dominant model—based on chemical-intensive agriculture and ultra-processed foods—is driving soil degradation, poor nutrition, increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and the pollution of our rivers and lakes. This model also contributes significantly to #biodiversity loss and #GreenhouseGasEmissions.

"Alternatively, a more resilient and #sustainable path is within reach—one that aligns human health with ecological integrity. But this transition cannot be left to smallholder farmers alone. It requires coordinated leadership from governments—particularly ministries of agriculture, health, environment, and finance—as well as development partners, scientists, and the private sector.

"Farmers should not be expected to feed a growing population and withstand escalating #ClimateShocks while being under-supported or misdirected by ineffective policies and subsidies. Without the right investments and incentives, we risk deepening the crisis.

What agroecology is—and isn’t

"Agroecology is too often misunderstood as a nostalgic return to low-productivity farming. In reality, it is a sophisticated, evidence-informed, and farmer-driven approach to transforming food systems in ways that are locally appropriate and ecologically sound. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a dynamic practice that integrates scientific research with #TraditionalKnowledge.

"The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) outlines 10 elements of agroecology, while the High-Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) has identified 13 principles. These include #RecyclingNutrients, enhancing biodiversity, strengthening synergies, and co-creating knowledge."

Source [paywall]:
https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/blogs/agroecology-as-the-path-to-climate-resilient-and-just-food-systems-5140556

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/QxY8u

#SolarPunkSunday #AgroEcology #FoodSecurity #Africa #ClimageChangeResiliency #SharingKnowledge

Matcha Rebellion - [Tea Merchant]

Organic matcha since 2019 by Tea Rebellion. Certified B Corporation working directly with tea smallholders and cooperatives. Award-winning authentic teas sold in pure form true to origin.

https://tearebellion.com/pages/matcharebellion

#organic #matcha #bcorp #authentic #transparent #smallholder

The garden is an abundance of fruit and vegetables right now. It's wonderful. 🍓🍎🍒 Nothing tastes as good as homegrown. 💚 #TheGoodLife #Smallholding #Smallholder #LifeAsASmallholder
Women's #decision-making in smallholder #farming in Malawi increases the positive link btwn farm production diversity & dietary diversity. Strengthening the agency of #women can make #smallholder farming more nutrition-sensitive: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/document/download/4c7d288a778a70796c2ada36d965a7ee.pdf/SFS_DP_013.pdf #nutrition #Africa

Growing Solo, e1/5, One Million Calories (BBC Audio series)

Max Cotton, a retired political journalist with a smallholding in Gloucestershire, decides to see if, for an entire year, he can live only off his own land with the help of Brenda the cow, his chickens and Max a farming friend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001yj15

#self-sufficiency #farming #landowner #experiment #smallholder #feast #famine #radio #audio

Growing Solo - The Harvest - The Harvest - BBC Sounds

Max Cotton's year of food self-sufficiency in Somerset.

BBC
Smart Irrigation Technology Covers "More Crop Per Drop"
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https://news.mit.edu/2023/gear-lab-creates-affordable-user-driven-smart-irrigation-controller-1025 <-- shared technical article
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“Placing solutions in the cloud but learning with boots on the ground, GEAR Lab researchers build low-cost, solar-powered irrigation tools to make precision agriculture more accessible..."
#water #waterresources #hydrology #irrigation #smartirrigation #GEAR #MIT #agriculture #farming #global #watermanagement #watersecurity #solarpowered #precisionagriculture #subsistencefarmers #crops #foodproduction #waterscarcity #soilquality #smallholder #farms #farmers #waterstress #sustainableagriculture #dripirrigation #MoreCropPerDrop #appliedscience #appliedtechnology
Smart irrigation technology covers “more crop per drop”

MIT Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Lab researchers build low-cost, solar powered irrigation tools to make precision agriculture more accessible to small farms.

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Help us get to 800 this week and get access to over 350 films for the garden and home. Down to earth advice for plot and plate https://youtu.be/VNNdVvoOmm8 #gardening #cooking #homesteading #smallholder
Storing Seed

Andrew shows you how to store seed for winter, a follow on from how to collect seed here:https://youtu.be/wSW2aLR6R-0?si=LQQBIAKZuzQFWln7Find out how to make...

YouTube

Read the latest post on our research group's #PeopleNatureLandscapes blog - on the occasion of #WorldCoffeeDay 🌍☕️

My colleague Dr. Christian Bunn discusses pitfalls of the #EUDR for shade-grown coffee and #smallholder #farmers 🌿

📢 To stop deforestation, reduce emissions, protect biodiversity and improve livelihoods, we need a smallholder-inclusive implementation of the #EUDR he argues 👇

#biodiversity #deforestation #agroforestry #coffee #farming

https://medium.com/people-nature-landscapes/biodiverse-coffee-af6f49c35718

In case you missed it 👉 We take a look at 2023 trends to watch for #smallholder
#farm innovations: https://www.growfurther.org/smallholder-farm-innovation-trends-to-watch-in-2023/?utm_content=buffer0ed9f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer We are watching these closely to see what projects to support.

#agriculture #innovations #foodsecurity

Smallholder Farm Innovation: Trends to Watch in 2023

What will 2023 hold for smallholder farm innovation? Several non-profit organizations, agribusiness concerns, and consultancies are offering new predictions. Their forecasts are wide-ranging…

Grow Further – A food-secure future
Are you a #small scale #pig #producer or pig owner? If you are, this new resource from
@OAHN is for you! Check the infographic out for a comprehensive guide to pig ownership, pig #farming, and what #African #swine #fever is. #smallholder #Canada