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Comment: Why agroecology can't transform African agriculture

Image: Max Pixel, Genus Bananas Musaceae Musa, CC0 Public Domain
Image: Max Pixel, Genus Bananas Musaceae Musa, CC0 Public Domain

This commentary from the US-based Breakthrough Institute argues that agroecology is not the best way of reforming agriculture in Africa, because most African agriculture already follows agroecological principles such as avoiding monocropping and not using much fertiliser or pesticide.

The author Nassib Mugwanya, outreach officer at the Uganda Biosciences Information Centre, points out that many agroecological principles such as intercropping are simply solutions that smallholder farmers use to maximise yields in the absence of access to alternative resources.

Mugwanya argues that governments should invest in infrastructure such as irrigation and better roads, and also suggests that fertiliser use and improved seed varieties can help to improve yields.

Read the full article here. See also the Foodsource building block What is sustainable intensification?

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