Agroecological Research: Conforming-or Transforming the Dominant Agro-Food Regime?

摘要

Agroecology has three practical forms-a scientific discipline, an agricultural practice, and a social movement. Their integration has provided a collective-action mode for contesting the dominant agro-food regime and creating alternatives, especially through a linkage with food sovereignty. At the same time, agroecology has been recently adopted by some actors who also promote conventional agriculture. Agroecology can play different roles-either conforming to the dominant regime, or else helping to transform it-contingent on specific empowerment strategies. Tensions between "conform versus transform" roles can be identified in European agroecological research, especially in three areas: farm-level agroecosystems development; participatory plant breeding; and short food-supply chains remunerating agroecological methods. To play a transformative role, collaborative strategies need to go beyond the linear stereotype whereby scientists "transfer" technology or farmers "apply" scientific research results. To the extent that farmer-scientist alliances co-create and exchange knowledge, such gains can transform the research system.