Project
At Fauna & Flora we believe there is a way to develop productive agricultural systems that can meet the growing global demand for food without compromising people, nature and climate.
Agriculture is one of the primary drivers of biodiversity loss. As such, it poses a serious threat to people and nature. It contributes to habitat loss and degradation, pollution and soil depletion. It also exacerbates the climate crisis through land conversion, use of agrochemicals, and livestock emissions. But agriculture is also essential to our survival, producing most of the food that we eat. Today, agricultural production is unable to keep pace with demand, and current farming methods lead to diminishing productivity over time. Food insecurity and malnutrition are growing problems.
The scale of the challenge is enormous, and it’s one that Fauna & Flora’s team of experts is addressing.
Coffee beans, an economically key crop in many Central American countries. © Juan Pablo Moreiras / Fauna & Flora
Small is beautiful
84% of the world’s farms are smallholdings (below two hectares).
Aerial view of shrimp farm close to Belize City. Juan Pablo Moreiras / Fauna & Flora
Over 600 million
The number of farms worldwide
A holistic approach to agriculture
Fauna & Flora’s work on agriculture is guided by the principles of agroecology. This integrated approach simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts to the design and management of food and agricultural systems. It seeks to optimise the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment while also taking account of social considerations to ensure a sustainable and fair food system.
A new way to view farms
To develop farms that support biodiversity, rather than depleting nature, we need to think of them as agroecosystems. Like any ecosystem, an agroecosystem relies on natural processes such as water cycling, pollination and soil formation. For an agroecosystem to function effectively, farming practices need to harness and enhance these processes. This can be achieved in several ways:
- Recycling and reuse of crop materials
- Reduced use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides and other external inputs.
- Increasing genetic and species diversity to improve resilience against natural and human-caused environmental impacts.
- Promoting mutually beneficial interaction between plants, animals, soils and water.
The result is a healthier, more functional ecosystem in which cultivated and wild species are better able to thrive and co-exist, producing co-benefits for biodiversity, climate and food security.
A member of the Harapan Baru Women's Group in Durian Rambun Village, Merangin, Indonesia, harvesting coffee. © Edy Susanto / Fauna & Flora
A member of the Harapan Baru Women's Group in Durian Rambun Village, Merangin, Indonesia, harvesting coffee.
Nicaraguan farmer. © Karina Berg / Fauna & Flora
One of the many smallholders benefiting from improved farming practices in Ometepe, Nicaragua.
Putting farmers front and centre
Agriculture provides food, nutrition and a crucial source of income for the farmers themselves. An agroecosystem needs to support people as well as nature. Fauna & Flora’s approach to agriculture puts farmers front and centre, building from the bottom up, involving them at every stage and addressing the specific issues that they have identified. We ensure that solutions are locally appropriate, in line with the needs of farmers, and likely to be adopted permanently. By combining the farmers’ wealth of knowledge with our own scientific knowledge, we are able to find sustainable solutions that work locally.
If farmers are to make real changes to the way they farm, they need support, incentives and guarantees. Local governance systems must ensure farmers have secure access to land, so they can commit to long-term investments in changing practice. In addition, participation in agricultural activities must be equitable, to ensure all individuals can engage, share a wealth of ideas, and be enabled to create change.
Tailored solutions, consistent methodology
When working with farmers, Fauna & Flora is well aware that the people who produce food are not a homogenous group. They range from smallholder farmers trying to feed their families through to large-scale plantation owners and workers. We adapt our approach accordingly, taking account of their differing needs, resources, knowledge and motivations.
Our team of experts works with colleagues and in-country partners on the ground at our project sites worldwide. The practical issues we tackle range from dealing with crop-raiding wildlife and pest control to soil improvement and crop diversification. Where relevant, we also engage in policy dialogues to support our site-based activities. We also work with carefully selected corporate partners to achieve better outcomes for nature in agricultural landscapes. Our agroecology activities complement Fauna & Flora’s wider work on agricultural supply chains, sustainable livelihoods and human well-being.
I learned that the bees, birds, butterflies are good pollinators. Before, there used to be some black cocoa pods in the trees, but with this learning now I know that I need to remove them to leave place for the next ones to come. As a lead farmer I tell others to do that too, and to join the farmer field school. I had no idea about the application of Jatropha and Tithonia [insecticidal plants], but thanks to the training, now I know.
Kebeh Mulbah, Lofa County, Liberia
Chair of Barwen town’s integrated pest and disease management (IPM) group and participant in IPM trials and beneficial insects monitoring.
I learned that the bees, birds, butterflies are good pollinators. Before, there used to be some black cocoa pods in the trees, but with this learning now I know that I need to remove them to leave place for the next ones to come. As a lead farmer I tell others to do that too, and to join the farmer field school. I had no idea about the application of Jatropha and Tithonia [insecticidal plants], but thanks to the training, now I know.
Kebeh Mulbah, Lofa County, Liberia
Chair of Barwen town’s integrated pest and disease management (IPM) group and participant in IPM trials and beneficial insects monitoring.
A vision for the future of farming
We all need to eat. The ultimate purpose of agroecology is to create a new global food system based on participation, localness, fairness and justice. Within that framework, Fauna & Flora’s ambition is to develop resilient agroecosystems that support biodiversity conservation, and action on climate, while also meeting basic human needs relating to food, nutrition and livelihoods.
You can support work like this. If you represent a charitable Trust or Foundation and would like to talk to a member of our team, contact [email protected].
If you would like to support us immediately, consider donating today.
Support Fauna & FloraWalnut harvest in Kyrgyzstan. © Chris Loades / Fauna & Flora
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