TY - JOUR
T1 - Drivers for agroecological transition
T2 - An analysis of 40 years of experience in Minas Gerais, Brazil
AU - Monteiro, Fernanda Testa
AU - Wilson, Alexandria Jeanne
AU - Teixeira, Heitor Mancini
AU - Gomes, Lucas Carvalho
AU - Bragança, Raphael Fernandes
AU - Botelho, Maria Izabel Vieira
AU - Lopes, Ivonete
AU - Simas, Felipe N.B.
AU - Kuyper, Thomas W.
AU - Cardoso, Irene Maria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2025/1
Y1 - 2025/1
N2 - Context: Efforts are being made globally to promote transformations from conventional to agroecological agricultural systems. In many places, such efforts have been made in dialogue with peasant communities, involving a range of social actors with converging actions. Understanding the drivers of such transformations can elucidate key elements capable of promoting changes in the agrifood system. The objective: Was to identify and comprehend the drivers of agroecological transition and their capacity to transform the agricultural system, based on the analysis of the experience in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where such a process has been built since the early 1980's, involving different institutions and scales of transformation. Methods: We analyzed and integrated the results of four PhD theses, carried out semi-structured interviews with different social actors regarding the transition in its social, environmental, and institutional aspects, and engaged in participant observation. Results and conclusions: 29 drivers were identified that promote agroecology by creating conditions and motivating peasants to switch from conventional to agroecological agriculture. These drivers act synergistically in the ecological, social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions. One crucial synergy is the combination of political support with bottom-up movements. The analysis of the drivers contributes to broadening the agroecological transition process. Significance: The research is innovative by demonstrating that the analysis of drivers for agroecological transitions must be based on concrete experiences in the territories, the dimensions involved, the classification of the driver, the internal and external conditions of the peasant units that interfere in the transition process, and the impacts of the agroecological transition process for peasant families. Specifically, the articulation among cosmovision and identity, collective knowledge building, organizations at regional and national levels, political engagement, and nature-based technical solutions led countless families to promote and practice agroecology.
AB - Context: Efforts are being made globally to promote transformations from conventional to agroecological agricultural systems. In many places, such efforts have been made in dialogue with peasant communities, involving a range of social actors with converging actions. Understanding the drivers of such transformations can elucidate key elements capable of promoting changes in the agrifood system. The objective: Was to identify and comprehend the drivers of agroecological transition and their capacity to transform the agricultural system, based on the analysis of the experience in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where such a process has been built since the early 1980's, involving different institutions and scales of transformation. Methods: We analyzed and integrated the results of four PhD theses, carried out semi-structured interviews with different social actors regarding the transition in its social, environmental, and institutional aspects, and engaged in participant observation. Results and conclusions: 29 drivers were identified that promote agroecology by creating conditions and motivating peasants to switch from conventional to agroecological agriculture. These drivers act synergistically in the ecological, social, cultural, political, and economic dimensions. One crucial synergy is the combination of political support with bottom-up movements. The analysis of the drivers contributes to broadening the agroecological transition process. Significance: The research is innovative by demonstrating that the analysis of drivers for agroecological transitions must be based on concrete experiences in the territories, the dimensions involved, the classification of the driver, the internal and external conditions of the peasant units that interfere in the transition process, and the impacts of the agroecological transition process for peasant families. Specifically, the articulation among cosmovision and identity, collective knowledge building, organizations at regional and national levels, political engagement, and nature-based technical solutions led countless families to promote and practice agroecology.
KW - Agriculture
KW - Agroecology
KW - Atlantic rainforest
KW - Brazil
KW - Internal and external conditions
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208665163&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104174
DO - 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104174
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85208665163
SN - 0308-521X
VL - 222
JO - Agricultural Systems
JF - Agricultural Systems
M1 - 104174
ER -