Description
The article examines the role of evidence in legitimizing agroecology as a global policy approach. It highlights the ongoing debates about what constitutes valid evidence for agroecology’s effectiveness and the push for more comprehensive evaluation frameworks. The theme reveals the complex interplay between scientific, practical, and political forms of evidence in shaping agricultural policy. It analyzes how agroecology became institutionalized within the FAO through the Global Dialogue process. It traces the political maneuvering and negotiations that led to agroecology being recognized as a legitimate approach within FAO’s work programs while highlighting the challenges of integrating a concept with diverse interpretations into formal policy structures.
Findings
Despite existing scientific evidence, there were persistent calls for more “evidence” to convince policymakers
FAO initiated efforts to develop new evaluation tools combining system criteria and SDG impacts
The evidence debate reflects broader tensions about whose knowledge counts in global agricultural policymaking Agroecology’s institutionalization required support from key member states and internal FAO champions
The process revealed tensions between different visions of agricultural development within FAO
Institutionalization involved developing formal evaluation frameworks and tools to measure agroecology’s impacts.
Stats
Over 30 years of scientific evidence on agroecology’s sustainability cited by experts
FAO developing new evaluation tool to be tested in 3 countries (India, Mexico, Senegal)
Private actors also developing tools based on FAO’s 10 principles of agroecology 16 member countries joined the “Friends of Agroecology” group by 2018
2 new regular program posts on Agroecology and Ecosystems created at FAO.