IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i9p3299-d169995.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Agroecology in Canada: Towards an Integration of Agroecological Practice, Movement, and Science

Author

Listed:
  • Marney E. Isaac

    (Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
    Centre for Critical Development Studies, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
    Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • S. Ryan Isakson

    (Centre for Critical Development Studies, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
    Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Bryan Dale

    (Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Charles Z. Levkoe

    (Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada)

  • Sarah K. Hargreaves

    (Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, Guelph, ON N1H 6J2, Canada)

  • V. Ernesto Méndez

    (Department of Plant and Soil Science and Environment Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA)

  • Hannah Wittman

    (Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada)

  • Colleen Hammelman

    (Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA)

  • Jennifer C. Langill

    (Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Adam R. Martin

    (Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
    Centre for Critical Development Studies, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada)

  • Erin Nelson

    (Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Michael Ekers

    (Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Kira A. Borden

    (Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Stephanie Gagliardi

    (Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada)

  • Serra Buchanan

    (Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada)

  • Sarah Archibald

    (Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada)

  • Astrid Gálvez Ciani

    (Centre for Critical Development Studies, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada)

Abstract

This article surveys the current state of agroecology in Canada, giving particular attention to agroecological practices, the related social movements, and the achievements of agroecological science. In each of these realms, we find that agroecology emerges as a response to the various social and ecological problems associated with the prevailing industrial model of agricultural production that has long been promoted in the country under settler colonialism. Although the prevalence and prominence of agroecology is growing in Canada, its presence is still small and the support for its development is limited. We provide recommendations to achieve a more meaningful integration of agroecology in Canadian food policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Marney E. Isaac & S. Ryan Isakson & Bryan Dale & Charles Z. Levkoe & Sarah K. Hargreaves & V. Ernesto Méndez & Hannah Wittman & Colleen Hammelman & Jennifer C. Langill & Adam R. Martin & Erin Nelson &, 2018. "Agroecology in Canada: Towards an Integration of Agroecological Practice, Movement, and Science," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:9:p:3299-:d:169995
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/9/3299/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/9/3299/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lovell, Sarah Taylor & DeSantis, S'ra & Nathan, Chloe A. & Olson, Meryl Breton & Ernesto Méndez, V. & Kominami, Hisashi C. & Erickson, Daniel L. & Morris, Katlyn S. & Morris, William B., 2010. "Integrating agroecology and landscape multifunctionality in Vermont: An evolving framework to evaluate the design of agroecosystems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(5), pages 327-341, June.
    2. Sasha Breger Bush, 2012. "Derivatives and Development," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-137-06265-9, October.
    3. Emily Reid-Musson, 2017. "Grown Close to Home™: Migrant Farmworker (Im)mobilities and Unfreedom on Canadian Family Farms," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 107(3), pages 716-730, May.
    4. Erin Nelson & Steffanie Scott & Judie Cukier & Ángel Galán, 2009. "Institutionalizing agroecology: successes and challenges in Cuba," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 26(3), pages 233-243, September.
    5. Verena Seufert & Navin Ramankutty & Jonathan A. Foley, 2012. "Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 485(7397), pages 229-232, May.
    6. Miguel A Altieri & Clara I Nicholls, 2008. "Scaling up Agroecological Approaches for Food Sovereignty in Latin America," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 51(4), pages 472-480, December.
    7. Alexander Wezel & Julia Goette & Elisabeth Lagneaux & Gloria Passuello & Erica Reisman & Christophe Rodier & Grégoire Turpin, 2018. "Agroecology in Europe: Research, Education, Collective Action Networks, and Alternative Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Sam Grey & Raj Patel, 2015. "Food sovereignty as decolonization: some contributions from Indigenous movements to food system and development politics," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(3), pages 431-444, September.
    9. Duru, M., 2013. "Combining agroecology and management science to design field tools under high agrosystem structural or process uncertainty: Lessons from two case studies of grassland management," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 84-94.
    10. David Tilman & Kenneth G. Cassman & Pamela A. Matson & Rosamond Naylor & Stephen Polasky, 2002. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices," Nature, Nature, vol. 418(6898), pages 671-677, August.
    11. Michel P. Pimbert & Nina Isabella Moeller, 2018. "Absent Agroecology Aid: On UK Agricultural Development Assistance Since 2010," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-10, February.
    12. Dustin L. Herrmann & Wen-Ching Chuang & Kirsten Schwarz & Timothy M. Bowles & Ahjond S. Garmestani & William D. Shuster & Tarsha Eason & Matthew E. Hopton & Craig R. Allen, 2018. "Agroecology for the Shrinking City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-14, March.
    13. DeLonge, Marcia S. & Miles, Albie & Carlisle, Liz, 2016. "Investing in the transition to sustainable agriculture," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(P1), pages 266-273.
    14. Daniel Block & Noel Chávez & Erika Allen & Dinah Ramirez, 2012. "Food sovereignty, urban food access, and food activism: contemplating the connections through examples from Chicago," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 29(2), pages 203-215, June.
    15. Isakson, S. Ryan, 2011. "Market Provisioning and the Conservation of Crop Biodiversity: An Analysis of Peasant Livelihoods and Maize Diversity in the Guatemalan Highlands," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 1444-1459, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rosalia Facendola & Giovanni Ottomano Palmisano & Annalisa De Boni & Claudio Acciani & Rocco Roma, 2023. "Profiling Citizens on Perception of Key Factors of Food Security: An Application of K-Means Cluster Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Soubry, Bernard & Sherren, Kate, 2022. ""You keep using that word...": Disjointed definitions of resilience in food systems adaptation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Lenore Newman & Robert Newell & Colin Dring & Alesandros Glaros & Evan Fraser & Zsofia Mendly-Zambo & Arthur Gill Green & Krishna Bahadur KC, 2023. "Agriculture for the Anthropocene: novel applications of technology and the future of food," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(3), pages 613-627, June.
    4. Colleen Hammelman & Elizabeth Shoffner & Maria Cruzat & Samantha Lee, 2022. "Assembling agroecological socio-natures: a political ecology analysis of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(1), pages 371-383, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Inga C. Melchior & Jens Newig, 2021. "Governing Transitions towards Sustainable Agriculture—Taking Stock of an Emerging Field of Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-27, January.
    2. Rikke Lybæk & Henrik Hauggaard-Nielsen, 2023. "A Qualitative Investigation of European Grain Legume Supply Markets through the Lens of Agroecology in Four Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Horacio Augstburger & Fabian Käser & Stephan Rist, 2019. "Assessing Food Systems and Their Impact on Common Pool Resources and Resilience," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-25, April.
    4. Dapeng WANG & Liang ZHENG & Songdong GU & Yuefeng SHI & Long LIANG & Fanqiao MENG & Yanbin GUO & Xiaotang JU & Wenliang WU, 2018. "Soil nitrate accumulation and leaching in conventional, optimized and organic cropping systems," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 64(4), pages 156-163.
    5. Benjamin Blumenstein & Torsten Siegmeier & Carsten Bruckhaus & Victor Anspach & Detlev Möller, 2015. "Integrated Bioenergy and Food Production—A German Survey on Structure and Developments of Anaerobic Digestion in Organic Farming Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-24, August.
    6. Luz Maria Castro & Baltazar Calvas & Thomas Knoke, 2015. "Ecuadorian Banana Farms Should Consider Organic Banana with Low Price Risks in Their Land-Use Portfolios," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-23, March.
    7. Lombardi, G.V. & Parrini, Silvia & Atzori, R. & Stefani, G. & Romano, D. & Gastaldi, M. & Liu, G., 2021. "Sustainable agriculture, food security and diet diversity. The case study of Tuscany, Italy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 458(C).
    8. Tiziano Gomiero, 2013. "Alternative Land Management Strategies and Their Impact on Soil Conservation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-20, August.
    9. Marull, Joan & Padró, Roc & La Rota-Aguilera, María José & Pino, Joan & Giocoli, Annalisa & Cirera, Jacob & Ruiz-Forés, Núria & Coll, Francesc & Serrano-Tovar, Tarik & Velasco-Fernández, Raúl, 2023. "Modelling land use planning: Socioecological integrated analysis of metropolitan green infrastructures," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    10. Oksana Puzniak & Natalia Hrynchyshyn & Tetiana Datsko & Sylwia Andruszczak & Bohdan Hulko, 2022. "Consequences of the Long-Term Fertilization System Use on Physical and Microbiological Soil Status in the Western Polissia of Ukraine," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Matthew Heron Wilson & Sarah Taylor Lovell, 2016. "Agroforestry—The Next Step in Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Anugu Amarender Reddy & Indrek Melts & Geetha Mohan & Ch Radhika Rani & Vaishnavi Pawar & Vikas Singh & Manesh Choubey & Trupti Vashishtha & A Suresh & Madhusudan Bhattarai, 2022. "Economic Impact of Organic Agriculture: Evidence from a Pan-India Survey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    13. Ulrich Hoffmann, 2011. "Assuring Food Security In Developing Countries Under The Challenges Of Climate Change: Key Trade And Development Issues Of A Fundamental Transformation Of Agriculture," UNCTAD Discussion Papers 201, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    14. Sarah Rotz & Evan Fraser, 2015. "Resilience and the industrial food system: analyzing the impacts of agricultural industrialization on food system vulnerability," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 5(3), pages 459-473, September.
    15. Cristian Timmermann & Georges Félix, 2015. "Agroecology as a vehicle for contributive justice," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(3), pages 523-538, September.
    16. Valeria Borsellino & Emanuele Schimmenti & Hamid El Bilali, 2020. "Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-35, March.
    17. Jonathan K. London & Bethany B. Cutts & Kirsten Schwarz & Li Schmidt & Mary L. Cadenasso, 2021. "Unearthing the entangled roots of urban agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(1), pages 205-220, February.
    18. Simona Zollet & Keshav Lall Maharjan, 2021. "Overcoming the Barriers to Entry of Newcomer Sustainable Farmers: Insights from the Emergence of Organic Clusters in Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-24, January.
    19. Pallante, Giacomo & Drucker, Adam G. & Sthapit, Sajal, 2016. "Assessing the potential for niche market development to contribute to farmers' livelihoods and agrobiodiversity conservation: Insights from the finger millet case study in Nepal," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 92-105.
    20. Mindy Jewell Price & Alex Latta & Andrew Spring & Jennifer Temmer & Carla Johnston & Lloyd Chicot & Jessica Jumbo & Margaret Leishman, 2022. "Agroecology in the North: Centering Indigenous food sovereignty and land stewardship in agriculture “frontiers”," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1191-1206, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:9:p:3299-:d:169995. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.