Who means what by agroecology. And why it matters

The Plan – the final report of the Independent Review for the National Food Strategy –recommended that ‘agroecology’ should be used alongside intensive agriculture and no agriculture in a ‘three-compartment model’ for land use that could balance food production, climate mitigation and environmental protection. This was seen by some as a signal that agroecology – hitherto a somewhat niche topic – might soon become part of Government policy. But in tracing the term’s evolving definitions, this report shows that agroecology means very different things to different people. It suggests that while The Plan uses the term in a narrow way that leaves out aspects often seen as crucial, it has nevertheless brought the idea firmly into mainstream UK policy debate.