#Agroecology and #SustainableIntensification
A new study in Nature Sustainability reveals how fundamentally different worldviews and assumptions shape these two leading approaches to #SustainableAgriculture
🧵 /1
#OpenAccess
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01474-9
A new study in Nature Sustainability reveals how fundamentally different worldviews and assumptions shape these two leading approaches to #SustainableAgriculture
🧵 /1
#OpenAccess
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-024-01474-9
Comments
🌿 Rooted in holistic systems thinking, it views farms as complex adaptive systems
🌳It prioritizes diversity (e.g., crop rotation, agroforestry) and local knowledge over industrial inputs
🌍 However it sidesteps scaling up to meet global food demands.
🚜 focuses on maximizing yields through precision agriculture and agtech innovation
🌾 aims to close yield gaps in underperforming regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
❌neglects socio-eco interdependencies of farming systems
🤲Agroecology values relational knowledge—systems as more than the sum of their parts
🔍Sustainable Intensification relies on reductionist methods—breaking systems into optimizable components.
🧠 This divide reflects deeper philosophical differences on "valid knowledge"
🤝Interdisciplinary dialogue is crucial to bridge the gap
🧐 Researchers must critically reflect on their assumptions to avoid polarizing the sustainability debate
🌟Transparency about limitations and priorities can enrich scientific and societal discussions
📕 Fischer, K., Vico, G., Röcklinsberg, H., Liljenström, H., Bommarco, R., 2024. Progress towards sustainable agriculture hampered by siloed scientific discourses. Nat Sustain 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01474-9
#OpenAccess #AgroEcology #SemanticAnalysis