The project aims to describe, analyze and develop agroecological transformation processes, in order to propose measures for sustainable food supply in times of crisis based on these results. This takes place through change-oriented collaboration between researchers and farmers.
Swedish agriculture and food supply are very vulnerable to unforeseen events and crises. This is partly due to the dependence on the global market for inputs and foodstuffs - partly due to mechanized agriculture competing in a hardening market economy. At the same time, Sweden is heavily dependent on food imports from countries where the effects of climate change are reducing agricultural yields in a very serious way.
A reaction to this crisis is the agroecological farmers who experiment in various ways with low-tech alternatives and deeper integration of the ecosystems in agriculture. An alternative agriculture is emerging, which is why research into this agroecological transformation, and dialogue about food safety, is very important, in Sweden and globally. In connection with this ongoing agricultural crisis, the researchers behind this project have collected preliminary data that indicate a growing agroecological transformation in Sweden, Chile and Italy.
One hypothesis is that today's agricultural crisis has opened up new opportunities for agroecological transformations, which can benefit food security in Sweden.
With this as a starting point, the project investigates what type of agriculture could promote food safety and sustainability, through dialogue between farmers and also decision makers.
The purpose of the project is to describe, analyze and develop agroecological transformation processes, in order to empirical basis propose measures for sustainable food supply in times of crisis. This is achieved through change-oriented collaboration between researchers and farmers (action research).
The specific objectives are:
- Provide a better understanding of the opportunities that exist for new approaches to sustainable food security based on agroecology by analyzing how current agricultural crises affect food provision.
- Strengthen cooperation and knowledge among practitioners and farmers for agroecological transformations that can contribute to other farmers’ re-orientation of their farming systems.
- Analyze institutional barriers for agroecology-based food security, using participatory methods for a more effective engagement of farmers in policymaking.
- Provide practical guidance to farmers and policy makers on how to develop agroecology to transform food systems for sustainable food security.
