A recent research paper by Jean-Philippe Deguine et al, ‘Agroecological crop protection for sustainable agriculture’ published in Advances in Agronomy, details the benefits of Agroecological Crop Protection (“ACP”) and how this can be used to transition towards pesticide-free farming. The paper also provides timely research suggestions for students from across the social and environmental sciences, and would make an excellent starting point to understand the themes relating to ACP.
The components of ACP
The paper identifies the principles of agroecology, ecology, Integrated Pest Management, Organic Farming and permaculture as contributing to the development of ACP, which has the objective of facilitating sustainable transformations in the agricultural food system. It is emphasised that one of the fundamental principles of ACP is to work with nature, instead of inhibiting it. The authors highlight the role that plants have, in protecting themselves with self-defense responses, and encourages viewing plants as active participants in their environment.
The role of trans-disciplinary research
The paper highlights practical examples of how ACP schemes have been implemented in various global locations, and recognises the importance of trans-disciplinary research, by noting the benefits of anthropological research that contributes towards understanding the local or traditional knowledge applicable to different environments. The authors position various research areas, including how human and social sciences can be developed to explore the links with food supply chains and social structures.
Reframing to transform
Importantly, the paper highlights that plant pests need to be considered in a wider context as part of biodiversity, moving away from destroying them to managing them. This approach, the authors argue, can transform the power struggles within the food system industry.
Further information
The full citation is Jean-Philippe Deguine et al, ‘Agroecological crop protection for sustainable agriculture’ (2023) 178 Advances in Agronomy 1 . It can be downloaded here.
Sustainable Capabilities 