Translating Agroecology into Policy

A little noticed but very important policy paper was released in early 2021. The paper puts forward a proposal for mainstreaming agroecology into the policies governing European Union (EU) food systems, yet has broad application for food system policy change globally (EU Food Policy Coalition 2021). It is based on a consensual vision for a paradigm shift in food systems developed by a large coalition of EU civil society, farmers, and scientific organizations, and shepherded by the International Panel of Experts in Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food). It uses the FAO “10 Elements of Agroecology” and “13 Agroecological Principles” as the framework for translating agroecology into policy.

The 10 + 13 agroecological approach represents an attempt to focus the definition and application of agroecology through a series of principles. The 10 Elements and the 13 Principles are complementary: the Elements define agroecology in a global and inclusive way, while the Principles list the practices and the concepts that must be applied for agroecological transition to take place. The 10 Elements and the 13 Principles serve as an analytical tool to operationalize agroecology, and are meant to support the planning, management, and evaluation of an agroecological transition. Given the comprehensive understanding of agroecology provided by these Elements and Principles, it could be argued that they themselves present a ready-made assessment tool against which policies supporting agroecology should be designed and measured. In other words, these Elements and Principles provide a framework for what should be taken into account in all relevant policies to support agroecology, whether at international, European, national, regional or local levels.

IPES-Food has been working intensely to promote the development of the food policy changes needed to transform EU food systems to sustainability (IPES-Food 2019). This has required building coalitions of all parts of the food system, from the people who grow the food to the people who eat it, from civil society to government, and from practice to policy. With its participatory, community-based, change-oriented approach, agroecology is a big part of the transition process. The 10 + 13 policy report argues strongly for how and why to bring the elements and principles of agroecology into the policy process.

For many of us working as agroecologists, we too often leave the policy process to politicians, and are easily frustrated by the results. Co-option, capture, and shifting away from the core principles of agroecology too easily occur. This report lays out a very strong framework that can keep this from happening. Agroecologists must be involved as much in the policy process as they have been in the science and practice of agroecology.

It its conclusion, the report states that “agroecology is not merely a set of agricultural practices or one innovation amongst others. It is a paradigm shift in our food systems model that moves us toward diverse knowledge-intensive and ecology-based systems. Agroecology is also about changing social relations, empowering farmers, adding value locally and privileging short value chains that link consumers and producers. Agroecology is not one of the tools in a toolbox, it is a different toolbox altogether” (EU Food Policy Coalition 2021).

The 10 + 13 policy report is an important statement for translating agroecology into policy change. It challenges all agroecologists everywhere to find more ways to be part of the paradigm shift in food and agriculture systems that is underway.