Organic Agroforestry Long-Term Field Experiment Designing Trough Actors’ Knowledge towards Food System Sustainability

Abstract

The implementation of agroecology principles within organic farming research is a crux to redesign sustainable agri-food systems. To govern this transition, the local research demand should be addressed by direct engagement of all stakeholders in the research process. The first step is the involvement of farmers and technicians, with the aim of restoring their decision-making role, switching governance to local scale. The co-design/co-management of Long-Term Experiments (LTEs) can be crucial to govern the above-described transition through networking and participatory activities. In this study, we report the experience of co-designing a new LTE in Southern Italy by local actors and scientists. Through a participatory action research methodology, an LTE was considered as a biophysical component of an agroecological living lab, a public–private environment aimed to design a local food system. The setup of parallel field trials in satellite farms stands for the other biophysical component, whereas the stakeholder platform represents the social one. Through definition of common objectives, a step-by-step process is presented, which highlights the interest of local organic actors to share ideas and perspectives for the territory, pointing out the inclusion of end-users (the consumers) in the process to complete the transition to sustainable food systems.

Achieving Agroecosystem Resilience through an Agroecological Approach

“…Therefore, the new Section of Agronomy will likely also be a collector of the obtained results of such a partnership, particularly focusing on the role of agroecology in achieving agroecosystem resilience in the context of climate change. The core principle of the co-creation of knowledge is the basis of the agroecological approach and requires putting farmers and other stakeholders at the center of defining research questions and developing solutions, alongside researchers [6,7]. Horizon 2020 and its successor, Horizon Europe, are playing a key role in developing the agroecological approach in Europe by supporting specific research and innovation projects, mainly through field trials, new technologies, living labs, and site-specific stakeholder networks.…”

Effects of Different Inter-Row Soil Management and Intra-Row Living Mulch on Spontaneous Flora, Beneficial Insects, and Growth of Young Olive Trees in Southern Italy

“…Moreover, it is important to consider that the world population will increase in the same period (2050) and will reach about 9.1 billion people [2], consequently increasing the food demand [3]. Therefore, in this scenario, agricultural sectors also need to increase the crop efficiency, since the land availability and productivity will play a central role for the maintenance of several rural contexts [4].…”