Characterizing Agroecology in North Africa, a Review of 88 Sustainable Agriculture Projects

Mélanie Requier-Desjardins (), Olfa Boughamoura and Elen Lemaître-Curri
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Mélanie Requier-Desjardins: CIHEAM-IAMM, UMR SENS, F-34093 Montpellier, France
Olfa Boughamoura: CERTOP, University of Toulouse le Mirail, F-31100 Toulouse, France
Elen Lemaître-Curri: CIHEAM-IAMM, Univ Montpellier, F-34093 Montpellier, France

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-36

Abstract: Agroecology refers to the greening of agrosystems with the mobilization of ecosystem services in order to limit exogenous inputs, enhance biodiversity and moderate the exploitation of natural resources. Agroecological practices offer pathways for transformation and transition not only of agricultural systems but of entire food systems. Through its objectives, agroecology aims at both sustainable land management and the strengthening of the livelihoods of producers and rural people and thus contributes to the fight against desertification. Currently, there is little scientific literature on the characteristics of agroecology in the Maghreb region. Several studies provide important information but they do not allow drawing up a global panorama of agroecology in the region. The proposed article highlights general characteristics of agroecology in North Africa from a review of 88 sustainable agriculture projects, which it analyzes, through an inventory of agroecological practices supported by these projects, from the frameworks of the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, 2019, on the principles of agroecology and the transition levels approach developed by Gliessman and fellows since 2007. The results show (i) differences in the observed practices depending on the agrosystems and (ii) predominant common practices across these diverse agrosystems; (iii) significant evolution in these practices over time. The majority of the agroecological innovations identified are at the plot and farm scales, with the exception of those found in oasis and mountain agrosystems, where practices integrate the scales of the territory and value chains in a more complete way.

Keywords: agroecology; North Africa; agroecological practices; sustainable agriculture projects; agricultural transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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