What is Agroecology?

Organic is a certified form of “agroecological” farming. Agroecology brings together agriculture and ecology to farm with nature.

As an agricultural practice, agroecology mimics natural processes to deliver self-sustaining farming that grows a greater diversity of crops, drastically reduces artificial inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics) and recycles nutrients (plant and animal waste as manure). These practices have obvious benefits for farmers – reduced input costs, greater autonomy from corporations, diversified income streams, risk management for crop failures and varied produce to improve nutrition.

As a socio-economic system, agroecology values the life of people and planet over profits. It requires the reshaping of markets to be based on equity, solidarity and the ethics of responsible production and consumption. It creates space for women, people of color and youth to take leadership.

As a political movement, agroecology is an action agenda to achieve food sovereignty led by small-scale food producers and their allies. It is a growing movement to completely transform our system of production, distribution and consumption rather than conform to industrial models.

In the U.S. and around the globe, farmers and consumers, indigenous communities, environmental advocates and social justice champions are coming together to create agroecological farming systems that protect the environment and treat all workers in the food system with respect.

We are working with allies, including  Friends of the Earth-International and Friends of the Earth-Europe to advance a rapid transition to a sustainable, just and resilient food system based on agroecological principles.