It protects the soil, the water and the climate. And it places people and farmers – consumers and producers, rather than the corporations who control our food now – at its very heart. It respects the societies and cultures it forms a part of. The historical principles of agroecology by Altieri (Altieri 1995, updated in Nicholls, Altieri et al. Certain principles unique to ecological farming need to be considered. To enter the field of ecological farming, location relative to the consumer, can reduce the food miles factor to help minimise damage to the biosphere by combustion engine emissions involved in current food transportation. Read our, We use cookies to enhance your experience. The 4 Principles of Organic Farming 22 November Categories: Organic Farming. Ecological Farming combines modern science and innovation with respect for nature and biodiversity. Ecological Farming is not merely ecologically sound; it is also economically viable. The challenge for ecological farming science is to be able to achieve a mainstream productive food system that is sustainable or even regenerative. The practice of ecological agriculture involves building the strengths of natural ecosystems into agroecosystems, purposely disturbed to produce food and fiber. 2. Ecological farming improves soil and water management by having a minimum negative impact on the environment and avoiding contamination of soil and water resources. Agroecology is: 1. A set of principles and practices that enhances the resilience and sustainability of food and farming systems while preserving social integrity, And, it is fair and systemic in its approach. Five principles of ecological science have particular implications for land use and can assure that fundamental processes of Earth's ecosystems are sustained. Permaculture is a set of design principles centered on whole systems thinking, simulating, or directly utilizing the patterns and resilient features observed in natural ecosystems.It uses these principles in a growing number of fields such as regenerative agriculture, rewilding, and community resilience.. Accordingly, conversion to ecological farming may best utilize the information age, and become recognised as a primary user of robotics and expert systems.[5]. It protects the soil, the water and the climate. These ecological principles deal with time, species, place, disturbance, and the landscape. This is called ‘ ecological farming ’ in some northern European countries. Thus this manual for training in organic farming provides material for knowhow of organic farming from the seed to the market, from the field to the table. Agroecology can be described as a social movement, a sub-set of the global food sovereignty movement. Each plant species absorbs different nutrients from the soil and releases certain substances in the soil. We are living with a broken food system. Integrated ecological approaches are a promising area of research and innovation. Ecological Farming is diverse, knowledge intensive and low in external inputs and fossil fuels (Tittonell, 2013). Unless otherwise stated, the copy of the website is licensed under a CC-BY International License. Organic agriculture is a system of farming based on ecological principles -- hence the terms biological or ecological farming which are also used to describe this production method. It ensures healthy farming and healthy food. Ecological farming includes all methods, including organic, which regenerate ecosystem services like: prevention of soil erosion, water infiltration and retention, carbon sequestration in the form of humus, and increased biodiversity. Welcome! Log into your account. The other important principles of Ecological farming can be given below; Food production must be ecological in both origin and destiny. The overall strategies include using practices that (a) grow healthy plants with good defense capabilities, (b) stressing pests, and (c) enhancing populations of beneficial organisms. aquatic world, traditional fish polyculture farming, Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) or rotational crop-fish systems follow the same principles to maximising diversity. By bringing ecological principles to bear in agroecosystems, through ecological intensification, novel management approaches can be identified, building on key interactions and strengthening virtuous cycles in agricultural production that would not otherwise be considered. [2] Many techniques are used including no till, multispecies cover crops, strip cropping, terrace cultivation, shelter belts, pasture cropping etc. The following GDPR rules must be read and accepted: This form collects your comment, name and email - but only your comment and name as you have entered it here will appear publicly. Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. The principle of ecological balance. It does not contaminate the environment with chemical inputs or use genetically engineered crops. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2014) By … It ensures healthy farming and healthy food. Ecological principles use ecological concepts (which are understood to be true) to draw key conclusions that can then guide human applications (section 3) … up toxic chemicals and shifting to ecological, sustainable farming methods. 8 Increasing biodiversity contributes to a range of production, socio-economic, nutrition and environmental benefits. Moreover, the methods of organic farming must fit the ecological balance and cycles. The protection of plant species and species subdivisions will conserve genetic diversity. Ecological Farming combines modern science and innovation with respect for nature and biodiversity. Maintaining habitat is fundamental to conserving species. The goal of organic agriculture is to create a sustainable agriculture system. Ecological farming involves the introduction of symbiotic species, where possible, to support the ecological sustainability of the farm. Ecological farming is overlapped by industrial farming. [1] Ecological farming is not the same as organic farming, however there are many similarities and they are not necessarily incompatible. It is different from organic or natural farming both in philosophy and practice. What is Agroecology? An Ecological Approach to Agriculture. Ecological farming is recognised as the high-end objective among the proponents of sustainable agriculture. Most ecological farming methods are using a combination of traditional farming techniques and modern agricultural technology, in order to obtain healthy and high quality crops, without damaging the environment. Agroecology is a form of sustainable farming which promotes use of ecological concepts and is holistically good for culture, environment as well as economics. Minimise food miles, packaging, energy consumption and waste. A deeper understanding of ecological principles is changing perceptions on the functioning of primary production systems and will make it possible to use ecosystem services to benefit sustainable and resilient land use systems without jeopardising profitability. It can also enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities in the face of climate shocks. Ecological agriculture: Principles, practices, and constraints. It should attain ecological balance through the . Principles of Organic Farming . Ecological Farming) Natueco farming follows the principles of eco-system networking of nature in our farming system. To fully understand organic farming and production, you need to get to know the principles that guide it. We must model organic farming on living ecological systems. It requires a systemic approach to agriculture from the field to the regional level, including diversity (soil, water, air and climate protection), but there is no universal prescription for what this approach should look like. ecological approaches in relation to -in particular- landscape levels and their evolution over longer periods of time. Greenpeace’s Food and Farming Vision describes what Ecological Farming means, and how it can be summarised in seven overarching, interdependent principles – based on a growing body of scientific evidence. It does not contaminate the environment with chemical inputs or use genetically engineered crops. Evolution organizes ecological systems into hierarchies. It needs to be replaced urgently for the benefit of all people, and the planet. 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