Unleashing Biotic Interactions through Agroecological Designs to Stabilize Crop Productivity and Enhance Resilience

Authors: Altieri MA* and Nicholls CI

DOI: 10.23880/oajar-16000337

Volume 8, Issue 4

Abstract

In a planet under polycrisis (climate change, high input costs, ecological degradation, armed conflicts, etc.) the challenge is to transition agroecosystems based on external inputs to one dependent on ecological processes. This will require agroecologists to test new diversification designs that will potentiate beneficial above and below ground biodiversity interactions at the farm and landscape level, so that soil quality, plant health, productivity and resilience emerge from processes such as optimized soil biological activation, nutrient cycling and biological pest regulation. Such approach enhances resiliency to biotic and abiotic stresses and increases farmers ecological, genetic, water, energy, technological and food sovereignty.

Keywords: Agroecology; Biological Interactions; Ecological Processes

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