Papers by Miguel A Altieri
Although risk and uncertainty dominate the lives of most rural inhabitants of the semi-arid regio... more Although risk and uncertainty dominate the lives of most rural inhabitants of the semi-arid regions of the world, many farmers have been able to develop durable farming systems through the use of innovative soil and water management systems and the use of locally adapted crop species and varieties. In this paper we provide examples of farming systems developed by traditional farmers well adapted to the local conditions of the semi-arid environment, enabling farmers to generate sustained yields meeting their subsistence needs, despite harsh conditions and low use of external inputs. Part of this performance is linked to the ingenious soil and water conservation systems but also to the high levels of agrobiodiversity exhibited by traditional agroecosystems, which in turn positively influences agroecosystem function. We also give examples of projects aimed at assisting rainfed resource-poor farmers in the development of a variety of practical techniques and strategies to enhance production and resiliency in the midst of resource constraints typical of semi-arid environments. Many of these efforts use elements of modern science but that build upon traditional knowledge by including farmers in the development process.
California Agriculture, Jul 1, 1982
Mixing crops and letting some weeds grow reduced pest insects and encouraged their natural enemies.
Ciencias Ambientales, Jul 26, 2018
A pesar de que existe conciencia general y alarma sobre la emergencia planetaria que representa e... more A pesar de que existe conciencia general y alarma sobre la emergencia planetaria que representa el cambio climático, las emisiones de carbono siguen incrementándose y no se vislumbran soluciones inmediatas y drásticas para frenar el calentamiento global. Parte del problema es que se requiere un cambio revolucionario que va en contra del crecimiento económico y de la hegemonía política-económica que mantiene a todo costo el sistema capitalista imperante. Es así que la agricultura industrial de monocultivos, pieza clave del sistema dominante, pretende reproducirse mediante estrategias como la Agricultura Climáticamente Inteligente (CSA), que no desafía la estructura del monocultivo ni las relaciones de poder que los mantienen. La agroecología, por el contrario, es una ciencia y movimiento que pretende derrocar las fuerzas perpetuantes del hambre y de la degradación ambiental. En gran parte, está liderada por movimientos sociales rurales que valoran el legado de la agricultura tradicional, la cual, a través de la innovación campesina e indígena, ha sido capaz de enfrentar la variabilidad climática por siglos por lo que representa un patrimonio humano de principios de resiliencia, claves para diseñar una nueva agricultura capaz de enfrentar el cambio climático.
Agroecology and sustainable food systems, Aug 9, 2018
A transition to an agriculture based on agroecological principles would provide rural families wi... more A transition to an agriculture based on agroecological principles would provide rural families with significant socioeconomic and environmental benefits. If agroecology has such great potential to feeding the world, why it is not adopted more widely by farmers? Most research analyzing factors needed for scaling up agroecology focuses on the social and policy dimensions. Herein we argue that a key challenge for the amplification of agroecology lies in the translation of agroecological principles into practical strategies for soil, water, and biodiversity management to enhance production and resilience. We use old and recent case studies to understand how amplification of agroecology has happened, both in numbers of farmers and at a larger geographical scale. We focus on two main strategies that have proven effective in the past: (a) the revival of traditional agricultural systems which offer promising models of sustainability and resilience and (b) the creation of "agroecological lighthouses" from which principles radiate out to local communities, helping them to build the basis of an agricultural strategy that promotes efficiency, diversity, synergy, and resiliency. Such agroecological strategies must be complemented by policies and solidarity market arrangements to provide economic viability to the amplification of agroecology.
Acta horticulturae, Mar 1, 2012
Agroecology utilizes principles to favor natural processes and biological interactions and synerg... more Agroecology utilizes principles to favor natural processes and biological interactions and synergies so that biodiverse horticultural agroecosystems are able to sponsor their own soil fertility, crop protection and productivity through the activation of soil biology, the recycling of nutrients, the enhancement of beneficial arthropods and antagonists. Based on these principles agroecologists have developed diversification strategies to achieve crop health and soil quality key pillars of agroecosystem health. The main goal is to enhance the immunity of the agroecosystem (e.g., natural pest control mechanisms) and regulatory processes (i.e., nutrient cycling) through agroecological designs that enhance functional biodiversity (soil biota, natural enemies, pollinators, etc.) that play ecological roles in the agroecosystem. Results from agroecological experiments conducted in California on cruciferous cropping systems and vineyards are used to illustrate the potential of agroecology and biodiversity enhancement for pest regulation in horticultural production systems. * Means derived from different counts on 10 random plants per pot. ** Flowers not yet removed.
Choice Reviews Online, Nov 1, 1994
* Preface to the Second Edition * Acknowledgments * Introduction * Chapter 1. The Ecological Role... more * Preface to the Second Edition * Acknowledgments * Introduction * Chapter 1. The Ecological Role of Biodiversity in Agriculture * Traditional Agroecosystems As Models of Biodiverse Farms * The Ecological Role of Biodiversity * The Nature of Biodiversity in Agroecosystems * Chapter 2. Agroecology and Pest Management * The Nature of Agricultural Habitats and its Relation to Pest Buildup * Crop Diversification and Biological Control * Chapter 3. Plant Diversity and Insect Stability in Agroecosystems * Ecological Theory * Theory Dilemmas * Chapter 4. Insect Manipulation Through Weed Management * Weeds As Sources of Insect Pests in Agroecosystems * The Role of Weeds in the Ecology of Natural Enemies * Insect Dynamics in Weed-Diversified Crop Systems * Isolating the Ecological Effects of Weed Diversity * Crop-Weed Management Considerations * Chapter 5. Insect Management in Multiple-Cropping Systems * Patterns of Insect Abundance in Polycultures * Herbivore Trends in Polycultures * Case Study 1: Maize Intercrops and Pest Attack * Case Study 2: Cassava Intercrops and Pest Incidence * Case Study 3: Reducing Stemborers in Africa * Living Mulches: A Special Type of Intercrop * Methodologies to Study Insect Dynamics in Polycultures * Management Considerations * Chapter 6. Insect Ecology in Orchards Under Cover-Crop Management * Selecting and Managing Cover Crops in Orchards * Case Study 1: Apple Orchards in California * Case Study 2: Pecan Orchards in Georgia * Case Study 3: Summer Cover Crops in Vineyards * Chapter 7. The Influence of Adjacent Habitats on Insect Populations in Crop Fields * Crop Edges and Insect Pests * Field Boundaries and Natural Enemies * Designing and Managing Borders * Case Study 1: Exchange of Arthropods at the Interface of Apple Orchards and Adjacent Woodlands * Manipulating Crop-Field Border Vegetation * Case Study 2: Biological Corridors in Vineyards * Case Study 3: Strip Management to Augment Predators * Chapter 8. The Dynamics of Insect Pests in Agroforestry Systems * The Effects of Trees in Agroforestry on Insect Pests * Designing Natural Successional Analog Agroforestry Systems * The Need for Further Research * Chapter 9. Designing Pest-Stable Vegetationally Diverse Agroecosystems * Monocultures and the Failure of Conventional Pest-Control Approaches * Towards Sustainable Agriculture * Requirements of Sustainable Agroecosystems * Designing Healthy Agroecosystems * Healthy Soils--Healthy Plants * Restoring Diversity in Agricultural Systems * Enhancing Surrounding Biodiversity * Case Study 1: Diversification of an Onion Agroecosystem in Michigan * Case Study 2: A Diversified Small Farming System in Chile * Conclusion * References * Index
AE. Revista Agroecológica de Divulgación, 2012
Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, 2018
Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, 2018
Biodiversity and Pest Management in Agroecosystems, 2018
序章 岐路に立つアグロエコロジー 第１章 アグロエコロジーの原理（伝統的ファーミングシステムのアグロエコロジー的な特徴；農業生態系における生物多様性の生態学的な役割 ほか） 第２章 アグロエコロ... more 序章 岐路に立つアグロエコロジー 第１章 アグロエコロジーの原理（伝統的ファーミングシステムのアグロエコロジー的な特徴；農業生態系における生物多様性の生態学的な役割 ほか） 第２章 アグロエコロジー思想の歴史と潮流（歴史的基盤；農村開発 ほか） 第３章 アグロエコロジーを支持するエビデンス（小農による農業の広がりと重要性；アグロエコロジー的な介入の影響評価 ほか） 第４章 アグロエコロジーの普及に向けて（アグロエコロジーの拡充と拡散；アグロエコロジーの拡散を阻む障害 ほか） 第５章 アグロエコロジーの政治学（アグロエコロジーとテリトリーをめぐる争い；アグロエコロジーをめぐる論争 ほか）
HUERTAS FAMILIARES Y COMUNITARIAS, 2018
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Papers by Miguel A Altieri