THE 10 ELEMENTS OF AGROECOLOGY

A SYNTHESIS

This elements develops by FAO can be considered as a good structural model for comprehession to
agroecology in different levels. The multidisciplinary approach of agroecology has led to its increasing
global attention as a more sustainable solution for bringing about the much needed social
environmental and economic transformation. Agroecology directly and indirectly contributes to the
attainment of 15 sustainable development goals.

Agroecology has developed from an ecology-based discipline characterized by five principles (efficiency,
diversity, synergies, natural regulation, and recycling) to a wider, multidimensional framework involving
the definition of additional principles from the domains of social, political, and economic disciplines and
dimensions. Based on early explanations of agroecological transformations put forward by  and others in
the last century, there are three significant steps: first is increasing eco-efficiency, the second is input
substitution, and lastly, system re-design these have been established in the transition towards more
sustainable agriculture and food systems. Although much has been written about the agricultural system
efficiency and the role of transition processes in promoting such efficiency improvements, much less has
been written about the re-design of agroecosystems as a result of the interaction of multiple forces over
time. Agricultural sustainability re-design processes are fundamentally complex since they must
maximize the economic, social, and ecological aspects at the same time, including poverty eradication
and climate change adaptation and mitigation. The inability to approach the problem holistically and
understand the crucial significance of pervasive interactions of a broad variety of biological, social,
cultural, and political variables over time makes the transition to sustainable agriculture and food
systems challenging. It's not only a problem of inadequate germplasm selection and cropping system
design; it's also a problem of soil nutrient availability, which is often linked to pest and disease
incidence; of the correlation between land degradation and poverty; of unsuccessful national and global
incentive policies; and of mismanagement. However, in order to move to a more sustainable agricultural
system, a comprehensive, but widely applicable evaluation and monitoring mechanism is needed.
Continuous assessment is crucial to re-design, and in the case of social-ecological transitions driven by
the 10 Elements of Agroecology developed by FAO, hence refers to as ‘agroecological transitions' for
specificity, evaluation and monitoring should necessitate holistic structures that recognize the
ecological, financial, cultural, and political aspects.

The FAO's Common Vision for Sustainable Food and Agriculture (FAO 2014) is focused on five general
principles: first is, increasing resource efficiency; the second one is, conserving, preserving, and
enhancing natural habitats; third is protecting and improving rural livelihoods, equity, and social well-
being; forth is, enhancing individuals, societies, and ecosystems' resilience; and lastly, fostering good
governance of both natural and human systems. FAO has developed numerous systems, approaches,
policies, resources, and techniques to operationalize this Common Vision (e.g. climate-smart agriculture;
ecosystem approach to fisheries/aquaculture; Save and Grow; Sustainable Land Management) in order
to improve the sustainability of food and agriculture. As calls for a more holistic approach across sectors
develop, FAO introduces the 10 Elements of Agroecology as a paradigm to organize, define, and explore
the field of agroecology as another potential route to operationalize the Common Vision for Sustainable
Food and Agriculture, understanding both diversity of approaches while preserving environmental
safeguards. This paradigm builds on previous research that has advanced agroecology as a science,
method, and socialist change, as well as attempts to resolve global sustainability issues. The aim of this
paper is to present the 10 Elements of Agroecology framework as a method for developing
differentiated pathways for agriculture and food system transformation. This article presents four
promising points – biodiversity, customers, education, and governance – to create a case for future
practice and provide a systematic framework that succinctly links the 10 Elements of agroecological
transformations. 

In coclusion, the 10 Elements of Agroecology framework acknowledges that structural change can occur
in multiple forms, at multiple locations, moving from different baseline conditions, and advancing at
various rates. The variety of possible paths emphasizes the flexibility of the system and the significant
opportunities for adapting actions to local conditions. This suggests that the rate of transformational
change in agriculture toward desired sustainability outcomes could be faster than expected, giving the
SDGs a better chance to achieve by 2030. The 10 Elements of Agroecology paradigm has been criticized
for its heterogeneity, which involves structures with multiple components in which significant
interactions may be nonlinear, interdependent, and include feedback loops, as well as the difficulty of
defining valid thresholds to determine more sustainability dynamics. Despite of these shortcomings, we
agree that the 10 Elements of Agroecology are helpful for framing the perceived complexities of food
and agricultural systems into a condensed, but holistic view of reality that would assist decision-making
by these policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders at various scales throughout agroecological
transitions to sustainable agriculture and food systems. This 10 elements as a framework developed by
FAO was really helpful by thinking about the system, to a wide sense in focusing on specific
problems, thought beyond the farm level and emphasizes that achievable levels of complexity –
consistent with a comprehensive approach – do not have to be a strain to facilitate change.