Sustainable intensification and agroecology : transitioning towards sustainable agriculture

Abstract: Agroecology and sustainable intensification are presented by their respective proponents as solutions to improve the sustainability of agricultural production. The present research investigates the similarities and differences of the two approaches and their potential to contribute to sustainable development in praxis. A comparative analysis of practices contained in the FAO 10 elements of agroecology and 13 agroecological principles with those in sustainable intensification found that the two approaches are very similar. The main difference lies on their focuses: the focus on goals in sustainable intensification, and the focus on means in agroecology, as well as differing scopes: farm scale in sustainable intensification, and food system scale in agroecology. It followed that sustainable intensification is limited to showing sustainable development only retrospectively, while agroecology can inform practices for sustainable farm development. It is proposed that sustainable intensification could benefit by a broadened definition which includes social elements. Due to the similar aims of both the concepts to increase agricultural sustainability, proponents of sustainable intensification and agroecology are best advised to focus on similarity, rather than difference.