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Global Food Security

Volume 29, June 2021, 100540

Can agroecology
improve food
security and
nutrition? A review
Author links open overlay
panelRachel Bezner
Kerr a, Sidney Madsen a, Moritz
Stüber b, Jeffrey Liebert c, Steph
anie Enloe a, Noélie Borghino b,
Phoebe Parros b, Daniel
 Munyao Mutyambai c, Marie Pru
dhon b, Alexander Wezel b

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Highlights
Ÿ •

56 agroecology studies had

 evidence for food security &
nutrition (FSN) outcomes.

Ÿ •
 78% of studies showed positive
FSN outcomes from
agroecological practices.

Ÿ •

Key agroecological practices are

crop diversity, organic soil
amendments, and agroforestry.

Ÿ •

Farmer networks and attention to

social equity dimensions were
important.

Ÿ •
Increased complexity of
agroecological system more
positively associated with FSN.
Abstract
Agroecology increasingly has
gained scientific and policy
recognition as having potential to
address environmental and
social issues within food
production, but concerns have
been raised about its implications
for food security and nutrition,
particularly in low-income
countries. This review paper
examines recent evidence
(1998–2019) for whether
agroecological practices can
improve human food
security and nutrition. A total of
11,771 articles were screened by
abstract and title, 275 articles
included for full review, with 56
articles (55 cases) selected. A
majority of studies (78%) found
evidence of positive outcomes in
the use of agroecological
practices on food security
and nutrition of households in
low and middle-income
countries. Agroecological
practices included crop
diversification,
intercropping, agroforestry,
integrating crop and livestock,
and soil management measures.
More complex agroecological
systems, that included multiple
components (e.g., crop
diversification, mixed crop-
livestock systems and farmer-to-
farmer networks) were more
likely to have positive food
security and nutrition outcomes.

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/
science/article/abs/pii/
S221191242100050X