Maladaptation in food systems and ways to avoid it

Kerr, Rachel Bezner

doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2023.101269

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…In light of multiple, complex, and interrelated food system challenges, the urgent need for fundamental food system transformations has become widely accepted in recent years (Ruben et al, 2021; Webb et al, 2020). Agroecology is arguably the only concept that is globally defined as being a holistic transformative approach to food systems, and there is mounting evidence of its potential to address several food systems challenges simultaneously (Bezner Kerr et al, 2023; HLPE, 2019; Mottet et al, 2020). In view of the above, an increasing number of actors—from multilateral organizations and international finance institutes to national governments, development agencies, and research and civil society organizations to farmer associations and private sector entities—embrace agroecological elements and principles and commit to supporting agroecological food system transformations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring agroecology and its performance: An overview and critical discussion of existing tools and approaches

Geck,

Crossland,

Lamanna

2023

Outlook Agric

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Agricultural and food systems (AFSs) are inherently multifunctional, representing a major driver for global crises but at the same time representing a huge potential for addressing multiple challenges simultaneously and contributing systemically to the achievement of sustainable development goals. Current performance metrics for AFS often fail to take this multifunctionality into account, focusing disproportionately on productivity and profitability, thereby excluding “externalities,” that is, key environmental and social values created by AFS. Agroecology is increasingly being recognized as a promising approach for AFS sustainability, due to its holistic and transformative nature. This growing interest in and commitment to agroecology by diverse actors implies a need for harmonized approaches to determine when a practice, project, investment, or policy can be considered agroecological, as well as approaches that ensure the multiple economic, environmental, and social values created by AFS are appropriately captured, hence creating a level playing field for comparing agroecology to alternatives. In this contribution to the special issue on agroecology, we present an overview of existing tools and frameworks for defining and measuring agroecology and its performance and critically discuss their limitations. We identify several deficiencies, including a shortage of approaches that allow for measuring agroecology and its performance on landscape and food system scale, and the use of standardized indicators for measuring agroecology integration, despite its context-specificity. These insights highlight the need for assessments focused on these overlooked scales and research on how best to reconcile the need for globally comparable approaches with assessing agroecology in a locally relevant manner. Lastly, we outline ongoing initiatives on behalf of the Agroecology Transformative Partnership that aim to overcome these shortcomings and offer a promising avenue for working toward harmonization of approaches. All readers are invited to contribute to these collaborative efforts in line with the agroecology principle of participation and co-creation of knowledge.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring agroecology and its performance: An overview and critical discussion of existing tools and approaches

Geck,

Crossland,

Lamanna

2023

Outlook Agric

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“…In the tourism industry alone, coral reef losses could cost $36 billion a year 14 ; and in East Africa, small-scale fisheries losses cost US$50-150 million a year 15 . Consequently, maladaptive practices, such as fishers fishing harder due to declining catches, are on the rise, creating feedback that amplify changes and undermine the system's resilience, further aggravating damage to ecosystem integrity and the loss of goods and services [16][17][18][19] . Due to the inadequacies of existing policies 20 , few to no government-led adaptation initiatives provide relief to coastal communities suffering from low socioeconomic status and resource dependence 21 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rising Climate Risk and Loss and Damage to Coastal Subsistence-oriented Livelihoods

Maina,

Asamoah,

D'Agata

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Subsistence-oriented communities in tropical coastal areas face the greatest threat from climate change, with consequences manifesting through diminishing returns from small-scale fishing and farming ventures. The complementary climate, sustainable development, and biodiversity conservation policies target reducing climate risks, but effective policy outcomes depend on a thorough understanding of system-wide climate risk, community adaptation potential and gaps, and possible economic losses. Using four countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region as a case, we present a framework for quantifying climate risk to subsistence-oriented coastal communities. On average, economic losses of ecosystem services are predicted to increase with increasing climate risk, with annual losses of up to 23% and 32% of total economic value (~ US$ 516,828,468/year) under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios by 2050, respectively. A comprehensive assessment of climate risks, ecosystem service value and cost of climate inaction can inform policy actions aimed at adapting, mitigating, and compensating for the loss and damage caused by climate change.

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Moving beyond production: community narratives for good farming

Strauser,

Stewart

2024

Agric Hum Values

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Maladaptation in food systems and ways to avoid it

Cited by 6 publications

References 56 publications

Measuring agroecology and its performance: An overview and critical discussion of existing tools and approaches

Measuring agroecology and its performance: An overview and critical discussion of existing tools and approaches

Rising Climate Risk and Loss and Damage to Coastal Subsistence-oriented Livelihoods

Moving beyond production: community narratives for good farming

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