Private

FS 3.220

Local agroecological food systems in mountain regions

Session status: Accepted

Content last updated: 2025-08-15 10:25:23

Online available since: 2025-01-13 22:43:22

Details

Full Title
FS 3.220: Fostering sustainable and equitable food systems through agroecology: Opportunities and challenges for mountain regions
Scheduled
Talks:
2025-09-16, 13:30 - 15:00 (LT), SOWI – SR 1
Talks:
2025-09-16, 13:30 - 15:00 (LT), SOWI – SR 1
Convener
Tschopp, Maurice
Co-Convener(s)
Lomáscolo, Silvia; Sarah-Lan, Mathez-Stiefel; and Núñez, Montellano
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
#IMC25, Agriculture, Policy, Socio-Ecology, Sustainable Development
Keywords
Agroecology, Food systems

Description

Mountain regions face unique challenges in fostering sustainable and equitable food systems due to their extreme weather conditions, lack of accessibility, and often marginalization from national and global policies. In this context, Agroecology – understood as a scientific discipline, a set of practice, and a social movement – offers promising alternatives to address the negative impacts of global agri-food systems, including environmental degradation, social inequities, and insufficient nutrition. This session will explore the relevance of agroecology, including in the context of small-scale family farming and local food systems, as a transformative strategy for mountain areas, focusing on its potential to enhance food sovereignty, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It aims to answer to the following questions:

how can agroecological approaches be effectively implemented in mountain regions?
What conditions are necessary for their success, and how can they address the specific needs of mountain communities?

We invite contributions from diverse mountain regions of the Global South and North that critically examine the opportunities and barriers to fostering agroecological transitions, highlight experiences of successful local food systems, and discuss policy frameworks needed to support these initiatives. By addressing these questions, the session aims to deepen our understanding of how agroecology can contribute to sustainable, resilient, and just food systems in mountain regions, offering insights for local communities, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers committed to sustainable development in these unique landscapes.

Registered Abstracts

ID: 3.9288

|Lamotte, Léa

Lamotte, Léa

Continuing to cultivate together in the Ecuadorian Andean páramo: pedagogical experiences in (agroecological) food production with the “Jatari Unancha” intercultural bilingual school network.

Lamotte, L.

Abstract/Description

Traditionally, the Ecuadorian Kichwa communities of the Sierra (the Andes) are small-scale farmers, with their plots in different “climatic zones” (Murra, 1972) to grow a variety of foods and thus have a varied diet. This means that they (still) develop territorial strategies to establish “comuneros” (communities) in ecological zones of different altitudes, often not contiguous and distant from each other. In this way, they cultivate different food products in their different “chakras”, namely “the place where life, food and knowledge are generated, which are engraved in the biocultural memory” (Toledo & Barrero, 2009) and which, concretely but without naming it, fully coincide with what we called from a Western glance “agroecological practices”. In the network of intercultural bilingual education units of “Jatari Unancha”, the collective cultivation of the chakra is one of the pedagogical tools. These schools are dedicated to young people of Kichwa nationality, located mainly in the páramo and inter-Andean corridors in the South of Quito, and are supported by the Indigenous School System of Cotopaxi (SEIC), the result of an indigenous political project for access to culturally appropriate education. Practicing food production among all members of the Jatari Unancha educational community (students and professors) is a way to keep alive and collective their agro-traditional knowledges and related social practices, such as mingas (unpaid collective work for the community) and pemba mesa (shared meal) with the products cultivated. The objective of such a pedagogical practice is not only to provide nutritional food, but is an opportunity to value community principles such as reciprocity and the Andean Kichwa identity (De la Torre & Sandoval 2004). In this presentation, I propose a dialogue between the memories and desires from students of one of the Jatari Unancha schools in regard to their agricultural collective production (and consumption) practices, with the themes of transformative pedagogies and agroecology, in a rural Ecuadorian world in mutation due to migratory flows to the city of Quito and its capitalist model.

ID: 3.11012

|Tonet, Tommaso

Tonet, Tommaso

Revitalisation of an inland and mountainous area through an educational horticulture project and a European programme: the case of Bergolo in Alta Langa

Tonet, T.

Angelini, D.

Abstract/Description

The transition of food systems towards greater sustainability requires the participation of all actors, both institutional and civil. In mountain areas, this process is influenced by dynamics of depopulation, land abandonment, geographical isolation and unequally distributed or diffuse resources. This study focuses on Bergolo, a municipality, classified as mountainous and inner area, in the Alta Langa in the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont, analyzing an educational horticulture project of the New Wellness Education association. This initiative, which integrates permaculture, education and community participation, is included within the Erasmus+ Mobility project. This work aims to analyze on the one hand how these projects, through targeted funding, can integrate different cultures and knowledge with the aim of redeveloping the territory, strengthening human capital for the revitalization of mountain areas. On the other hand, it highlights the potential and critical issues of an initiative that aims to actively raise awareness of the sustainability of the food system. Specifically, it highlights the positive impacts, especially environmental and social, as well as economic, of the project, but also the difficulties and risks, especially social and with the local population, that this initiative entails in the context of Bergolo and Alta Langa.

ID: 3.11678

|Irrazabal Alarcón, Valentina

Irrazabal Alarcón, Valentina

Small-Scale Productive Systems in an Andean Environment: Do They Contribute to Food Sovereignty with Economic and Environmental Sustainability?

Irrazabal Alarcón, V.

Abstract/Description

Small-scale productive systems, such as family farming, will play a key role in food sovereignty and economic and environmental sustainability in Andean regions. In this study, we will characterize these systems in northwestern Argentina, quantifying their contribution to self-consumption, commercialization, and non-monetary exchange. We will assess environmental sustainability by analyzing the ecosystem services and disservices associated with production, as well as the impact of phytosanitary management. Additionally, we will examine economic and commercialization strategies employed by farming families, including the allocation of productive tasks. The study will be based on semi-structured interviews, ecological surveys, and statistical analyses of qualitative and quantitative data. Our findings will contribute to the design of public policies that strengthen these systems and enhance their role in food security and sustainable development in rural communities in northwestern Argentina.

ID: 3.11874

|Jamir, Chubbamenla

Jamir, Chubbamenla

Towards Transformative food system for tribal communities in the Global South: Insights from Hill and Mountain regions of Northeast India

Jamir, C.

Ratna, N.; Jagannath, P.; and Longkumer, M.

Abstract/Description

While there is a rich body of gender, natural hazards, and displacement literature for the Global South countries, the literature on the food security and nutrition of tribal and/or indigenous communities in the Mountain and Hill regions remains opaque. Hill and mountain regions have been reported to be highly climate-vulnerable and food insecure. At the same time, they are home to many indigenous and/or tribal communities and host a wide range of crop biodiversity. These societies cut off from the mainstream population primarily due to complex topography and limited mobility, have evolved their traditional techniques of producing and meeting their nutritional requirements. Based on an estimation of dietary diversity among the Ao-Naga tribe in the eastern Himalayan foothills of Northeast India, in this paper we argue that food policies principally aimed at enhancing food security indicators, need to adopt transformative lenses by promoting dietary practices of the local tribes. Utilizing data from 404 households in Mokokchung district, the research compares dietary habits between urban and rural areas. Our preliminary analysis indicates that rural households have higher Food Diversity Scores (FDS) due to greater consumption of nutrient-dense traditional foods, such as organ meat and insects. Conversely, urban households show increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and food away from home (FAFH), both of which are positively correlated with higher household income and education levels. The study highlights the complex relationship between socioeconomic factors, dietary diversity, and health outcomes in tribal communities, and necessitates the need for developing evidence-based food policies with more mixed-method research on mountain food systems in the Global South.

ID: 3.12493

|Marsoner, Thomas

Marsoner, Thomas

Food System Dynamics in the European Alpine Space: Exploring the Impact of Dietary Shifts

Marsoner, T.

Pecher, C.; and Tasser, E.

Abstract/Description

The European Alps food system is deeply interconnected with global supply chains, relying on feed and fertilizer imports to maintain current agricultural practices. This reliance complicates the evaluation of the true potential for food self-sufficiency and the carrying capacity of the Alpine region. This study explores how regional food production, dietary shifts, and more sustainable farming practices could improve food system resilience in the European Alpine Space. Our findings show that 59% of the total available food energy in the region comes from domestic production and nearly the same percentage of the total is used for livestock feed, leading to high land footprints of up to 0.3 hectares per capita per year. Modeling scenarios indicate that, without expanding agricultural land, the region could produce 89% of its current food demand, though this varies regionally due to population density, land availability, and dietary habits. Transitioning to healthy diets, based on national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, could significantly improve food self-sufficiency, reduce the land footprint by over 45%, and lower GHG emissions, eutrophication, and freshwater withdrawals. While food waste may increase due to higher fruit and vegetable consumption, its land footprint would be smaller, and it could serve as a valuable resource for agriculture. These results demonstrate that dietary shifts, regional food policies, and sustainable land use planning could significantly contribute to achieving the EU Green Deal and Climate Law targets, supporting a more resilient and environmentally sustainable Alpine food system.

ID: 3.12495

|Lomascolo, Silvia

Lomascolo, Silvia

How can local agroecological food systems contribute to food sovereignty in the valleys of northwestern Argentina?

Lomascolo, S.

Nuñez-Montellano, M. G.; Tschopp, M.; and Mathez-Stiefel, S.-L.

Abstract/Description

Recent approaches, including food sovereignty and agroecology, are gaining prominence as strategies to address the negative impacts of global agri-food systems on ecosystem health, human well-being, and animal welfare. They are especially promising in montane rural areas, which often present extra challenges for sustaining families due to harsh weather, limited resources, and limited transport to towns and cities. Therefore, production of food for self-consumption and local commercialization become essential for the well-being of rural communities. Local Agroecological Food Systems (LAFS) offer thus a potential pathway toward more sustainable and equitable food networks in mountain regions. However, the conditions under which they can enhance food security, environmental sustainability, and equitable food distribution are little known, posing significant challenges to their implementation. We present here a recently-started project, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of LAFS in small-scale farming, particularly focusing on strengthening food sovereignty in the Andean valleys of northwestern Argentina. By exploring how local food systems and agroecological practices empower marginalized mountain communities, the initiative seeks to inform agricultural policies that promote sustainable food systems. The project includes four objectives: (1) assessing the contribution of LAFS to healthy and culturally appropriate diets; (2) evaluating the ecological sustainability of LAFS; (3) examining social justice aspects, including gender equity; and (4) analyzing governance and policy frameworks relevant to LAFS. In this presentation, we will introduce the research questions and the transdisciplinary approach of the project. We will highlight the preliminary results based on surveys a transdisciplinary workshop conducted with local communities to further define the research objectives, hypotheses, and expected outputs (such as participatory mapping). This presentation will shed light on challenges faced by local actors in LAFS.

ID: 3.12932

|Jacobi, Johanna

Jacobi, Johanna

Women’s Empowerment for Agroecology: Evidence from Mixed and Agropastoral Farming Systems in the Ethiopian Highlands

Jacobi, J.

Jacobi, J.; Hassen, J. Y.; Wordofa, M. G.; Endris, G. S.; and Aweke, C. S.

Abstract/Description

This study analyses women’s empowerment and its association with economic, environmental, and social indicators of sustainability in four districts across Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s (SNNP) regional states in Ethiopia. Primary data for this study comes from a random sample of 619 smallholder farm households gathered using the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) methodology, which evaluates farms against social and ecological agroecological indicators. Improvements of the situation of women were measured using the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) consisting of six indicators (inputs in productive decision; ownership of assets; access to and deccisions on credit; control over use of income; group membership; and workload). It was found that the mean A-WEAI for the full sample is relatively high with 70.89, and higher for ‘crop production only’ followed by ‘agropastoral’ and ‘mixed farming’ production typologies. Among the economic indicators, A-WEAI is found to be positively and significantly associated with land holding size, area under agricultural production, women’s land tenure score, total value of agricultural output, total value of animal products, total value of animals, total expenditure for productive inputs, and productivity. From the environmental indicators, the study revealed that empowering women is associated with a lower pesticide use, but also a lower animal diversity index, and a higher diversity of natural vegetation and pollinators in their farm. From the 10 social agroecological indicators considered in the study, eight (i.e., household dietary diversity, Minimum Dietary Diversity of Women, child dietary diversity, food expenditure, per capita food expense, youth empowerment, youth employment, and family labor) were found to have a statistically significant association with the A-WEAI. Based on the key study findings, implications are drawn to reinvigorate women’s contribution to sustainable agriculture development and food system transformation in Ethiopia and beyond.

ID: 3.21258

|Boillat, Sébastien

Boillat, Sébastien

Can indigenous territories and agroecology benefit from each other? Insights from the Bolivian Andes and beyond

Boillat, S.

Jurt, C.; Serrano, E.; Ledo, C.; Pfenniger, L.; Cruz, V.; Garcia, E.; Vasquez, S.; Foladori, S.; and Waeber, P.

Abstract/Description

Indigenous food systems are particularly vulnerable to global shocks such as climate change, biodiversity loss, conflicts, pandemics and socio-economic crises. Agroecology, as a principle-based science, practice and social movement has a strong potential to make these systems more resilient. Nevertheless, a major challenge is to upscale agroecology beyond isolated successful examples. The recognition and demarcation of “indigenous lands” with focus on commons and on the preservation of local knowledge and culture is a potential opportunity to up-scale agroecology and improve the resilience of indigenous food systems. This study examines how indigenous territories and agroecology connect to each other in practice. We rely on a systematic review at global scale, a network analysis at national scale and a case study in the Bolivian Andes to look at the synergies and discrepancies that connect indigenous territories and agroecology. We found out that despite a high synergy potential, indigenous land rights and agroecology tend to be advocated for by separate networks. Furthermore, agroecological principles that focus on transition from high-input to more diversified agriculture are also ill-suited to the context of indigenous agriculture. Based on these findings, we propose pathways on how to harness the synergies between the consolidation of indigenous territories and agroecology.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.9288

Continuing to cultivate together in the Ecuadorian Andean páramo: pedagogical experiences in (agroecological) food production with the “Jatari Unancha” intercultural bilingual school network.

Léa Lamotte

Abstract/Description

Traditionally, the Ecuadorian Kichwa communities of the Sierra (the Andes) are small-scale farmers, with their plots in different “climatic zones” (Murra, 1972) to grow a variety of foods and thus have a varied diet. This means that they (still) develop territorial strategies to establish “comuneros” (communities) in ecological zones of different altitudes, often not contiguous and distant from each other. In this way, they cultivate different food products in their different “chakras”, namely “the place where life, food and knowledge are generated, which are engraved in the biocultural memory” (Toledo & Barrero, 2009) and which, concretely but without naming it, fully coincide with what we called from a Western glance “agroecological practices”. In the network of intercultural bilingual education units of “Jatari Unancha”, the collective cultivation of the chakra is one of the pedagogical tools. These schools are dedicated to young people of Kichwa nationality, located mainly in the páramo and inter-Andean corridors in the South of Quito, and are supported by the Indigenous School System of Cotopaxi (SEIC), the result of an indigenous political project for access to culturally appropriate education. Practicing food production among all members of the Jatari Unancha educational community (students and professors) is a way to keep alive and collective their agro-traditional knowledges and related social practices, such as mingas (unpaid collective work for the community) and pemba mesa (shared meal) with the products cultivated. The objective of such a pedagogical practice is not only to provide nutritional food, but is an opportunity to value community principles such as reciprocity and the Andean Kichwa identity (De la Torre & Sandoval 2004). In this presentation, I propose a dialogue between the memories and desires from students of one of the Jatari Unancha schools in regard to their agricultural collective production (and consumption) practices, with the themes of transformative pedagogies and agroecology, in a rural Ecuadorian world in mutation due to migratory flows to the city of Quito and its capitalist model.

ID: 3.10694

Towards Context-Adapted and Equitable Certification?: The Participatory Guarantee System in Abancay, Peru

Sarah Steinegger
Mathez-Stiefel, Sarah-Lan; Oberlack, Christoph

Abstract/Description

The Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is a peer-to-peer certification system for organic and agroecological production methods that involves various stakeholders of agri-food systems. It aims to address shortcomings of Third-Party Certification, such as the challenge of accessibility for smallholder farmers, the exclusion of farmers from standard setting, and the resulting inappropriateness of requirements for local cultures and contexts. However, research on the context-specific dynamics of PGS implementation and its varying effects on different members within the same initiative remains sparse. This study addresses this gap by disentangling the impacts of the PGS on the ground. It uses the Environmental Justice lens to assess decision-making power, benefit distribution, and recognition among and within the participating agri-food stakeholder groups in the province of Abancay in the Peruvian Highlands. This qualitative case study found that farmers have limited participation in standard setting and implementation through the certification procedure, but monitor peers at the local PGS-specialized marketplace. Training and technical support mainly benefit entrepreneurial and vocal farmers, while there is no clear indication of increased sales through PGS in general. Nevertheless, particularly the farmers who use the specialized marketplace and others who are more active in peer evaluations and present at public events perceive PGS and NGO programs as recognition of their hard work and concern for the environment and people, and can be interpreted as partly reflecting Quchua-Andean reciprocal social relations, and strengthening the assertion of Quechua-Andean cultural identity. While NGO staff tends to be perceived and act as experts, they are also allies of Quechua-Andean smallholder farmers.

ID: 3.11012

Revitalisation of an inland and mountainous area through an educational horticulture project and a European programme: the case of Bergolo in Alta Langa

Tommaso Tonet
Angelini, Damiano

Abstract/Description

The transition of food systems towards greater sustainability requires the participation of all actors, both institutional and civil. In mountain areas, this process is influenced by dynamics of depopulation, land abandonment, geographical isolation and unequally distributed or diffuse resources. This study focuses on Bergolo, a municipality, classified as mountainous and inner area, in the Alta Langa in the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont, analyzing an educational horticulture project of the New Wellness Education association. This initiative, which integrates permaculture, education and community participation, is included within the Erasmus+ Mobility project. This work aims to analyze on the one hand how these projects, through targeted funding, can integrate different cultures and knowledge with the aim of redeveloping the territory, strengthening human capital for the revitalization of mountain areas. On the other hand, it highlights the potential and critical issues of an initiative that aims to actively raise awareness of the sustainability of the food system. Specifically, it highlights the positive impacts, especially environmental and social, as well as economic, of the project, but also the difficulties and risks, especially social and with the local population, that this initiative entails in the context of Bergolo and Alta Langa.

ID: 3.11678

Small-Scale Productive Systems in an Andean Environment: Do They Contribute to Food Sovereignty with Economic and Environmental Sustainability?

Valentina Irrazabal Alarcón

Abstract/Description

Small-scale productive systems, such as family farming, will play a key role in food sovereignty and economic and environmental sustainability in Andean regions. In this study, we will characterize these systems in northwestern Argentina, quantifying their contribution to self-consumption, commercialization, and non-monetary exchange. We will assess environmental sustainability by analyzing the ecosystem services and disservices associated with production, as well as the impact of phytosanitary management. Additionally, we will examine economic and commercialization strategies employed by farming families, including the allocation of productive tasks. The study will be based on semi-structured interviews, ecological surveys, and statistical analyses of qualitative and quantitative data. Our findings will contribute to the design of public policies that strengthen these systems and enhance their role in food security and sustainable development in rural communities in northwestern Argentina.

ID: 3.11874

Towards Transformative food system for tribal communities in the Global South: Insights from Hill and Mountain regions of Northeast India

Chubbamenla Jamir
Ratna, Nazmun; Jagannath, Pratyaya; Longkumer, Moarenla

Abstract/Description

While there is a rich body of gender, natural hazards, and displacement literature for the Global South countries, the literature on the food security and nutrition of tribal and/or indigenous communities in the Mountain and Hill regions remains opaque. Hill and mountain regions have been reported to be highly climate-vulnerable and food insecure. At the same time, they are home to many indigenous and/or tribal communities and host a wide range of crop biodiversity. These societies cut off from the mainstream population primarily due to complex topography and limited mobility, have evolved their traditional techniques of producing and meeting their nutritional requirements. Based on an estimation of dietary diversity among the Ao-Naga tribe in the eastern Himalayan foothills of Northeast India, in this paper we argue that food policies principally aimed at enhancing food security indicators, need to adopt transformative lenses by promoting dietary practices of the local tribes. Utilizing data from 404 households in Mokokchung district, the research compares dietary habits between urban and rural areas. Our preliminary analysis indicates that rural households have higher Food Diversity Scores (FDS) due to greater consumption of nutrient-dense traditional foods, such as organ meat and insects. Conversely, urban households show increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and food away from home (FAFH), both of which are positively correlated with higher household income and education levels. The study highlights the complex relationship between socioeconomic factors, dietary diversity, and health outcomes in tribal communities, and necessitates the need for developing evidence-based food policies with more mixed-method research on mountain food systems in the Global South.

ID: 3.12493

Food System Dynamics in the European Alpine Space: Exploring the Impact of Dietary Shifts

Thomas Marsoner
Pecher, Caroline; Tasser, Erich

Abstract/Description

The European Alps food system is deeply interconnected with global supply chains, relying on feed and fertilizer imports to maintain current agricultural practices. This reliance complicates the evaluation of the true potential for food self-sufficiency and the carrying capacity of the Alpine region. This study explores how regional food production, dietary shifts, and more sustainable farming practices could improve food system resilience in the European Alpine Space. Our findings show that 59% of the total available food energy in the region comes from domestic production and nearly the same percentage of the total is used for livestock feed, leading to high land footprints of up to 0.3 hectares per capita per year. Modeling scenarios indicate that, without expanding agricultural land, the region could produce 89% of its current food demand, though this varies regionally due to population density, land availability, and dietary habits. Transitioning to healthy diets, based on national Food-Based Dietary Guidelines, could significantly improve food self-sufficiency, reduce the land footprint by over 45%, and lower GHG emissions, eutrophication, and freshwater withdrawals. While food waste may increase due to higher fruit and vegetable consumption, its land footprint would be smaller, and it could serve as a valuable resource for agriculture. These results demonstrate that dietary shifts, regional food policies, and sustainable land use planning could significantly contribute to achieving the EU Green Deal and Climate Law targets, supporting a more resilient and environmentally sustainable Alpine food system.

ID: 3.12495

How can local agroecological food systems contribute to food sovereignty in the valleys of northwestern Argentina?

Silvia Lomascolo
Nuñez-Montellano, Maria Gabriela; Tschopp, Maurice; Mathez-Stiefel, Sarah-Lan

Abstract/Description

Recent approaches, including food sovereignty and agroecology, are gaining prominence as strategies to address the negative impacts of global agri-food systems on ecosystem health, human well-being, and animal welfare. They are especially promising in montane rural areas, which often present extra challenges for sustaining families due to harsh weather, limited resources, and limited transport to towns and cities. Therefore, production of food for self-consumption and local commercialization become essential for the well-being of rural communities. Local Agroecological Food Systems (LAFS) offer thus a potential pathway toward more sustainable and equitable food networks in mountain regions. However, the conditions under which they can enhance food security, environmental sustainability, and equitable food distribution are little known, posing significant challenges to their implementation. We present here a recently-started project, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of LAFS in small-scale farming, particularly focusing on strengthening food sovereignty in the Andean valleys of northwestern Argentina. By exploring how local food systems and agroecological practices empower marginalized mountain communities, the initiative seeks to inform agricultural policies that promote sustainable food systems. The project includes four objectives: (1) assessing the contribution of LAFS to healthy and culturally appropriate diets; (2) evaluating the ecological sustainability of LAFS; (3) examining social justice aspects, including gender equity; and (4) analyzing governance and policy frameworks relevant to LAFS. In this presentation, we will introduce the research questions and the transdisciplinary approach of the project. We will highlight the preliminary results based on surveys a transdisciplinary workshop conducted with local communities to further define the research objectives, hypotheses, and expected outputs (such as participatory mapping). This presentation will shed light on challenges faced by local actors in LAFS.

ID: 3.12932

Women’s Empowerment for Agroecology: Evidence from Mixed and Agropastoral Farming Systems in the Ethiopian Highlands

Johanna Jacobi
Jacobi, Johanna; Hassen, Jemal Y.; Wordofa, Muluken G.; Endris, Getachew S.; Aweke, Chanyalew S.

Abstract/Description

This study analyses women’s empowerment and its association with economic, environmental, and social indicators of sustainability in four districts across Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s (SNNP) regional states in Ethiopia. Primary data for this study comes from a random sample of 619 smallholder farm households gathered using the Tool for Agroecological Performance Evaluation (TAPE) methodology, which evaluates farms against social and ecological agroecological indicators. Improvements of the situation of women were measured using the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) consisting of six indicators (inputs in productive decision; ownership of assets; access to and deccisions on credit; control over use of income; group membership; and workload). It was found that the mean A-WEAI for the full sample is relatively high with 70.89, and higher for ‘crop production only’ followed by ‘agropastoral’ and ‘mixed farming’ production typologies. Among the economic indicators, A-WEAI is found to be positively and significantly associated with land holding size, area under agricultural production, women’s land tenure score, total value of agricultural output, total value of animal products, total value of animals, total expenditure for productive inputs, and productivity. From the environmental indicators, the study revealed that empowering women is associated with a lower pesticide use, but also a lower animal diversity index, and a higher diversity of natural vegetation and pollinators in their farm. From the 10 social agroecological indicators considered in the study, eight (i.e., household dietary diversity, Minimum Dietary Diversity of Women, child dietary diversity, food expenditure, per capita food expense, youth empowerment, youth employment, and family labor) were found to have a statistically significant association with the A-WEAI. Based on the key study findings, implications are drawn to reinvigorate women’s contribution to sustainable agriculture development and food system transformation in Ethiopia and beyond.

ID: 3.21258

Can indigenous territories and agroecology benefit from each other? Insights from the Bolivian Andes and beyond

Sébastien Boillat
Jurt, Christine; Serrano, Elvira; Ledo, Carmen; Pfenniger, Lea; Cruz, Vladimir; Garcia, Elio; Vasquez, Sergio; Foladori, Sofia; Waeber, Patrick

Abstract/Description

Indigenous food systems are particularly vulnerable to global shocks such as climate change, biodiversity loss, conflicts, pandemics and socio-economic crises. Agroecology, as a principle-based science, practice and social movement has a strong potential to make these systems more resilient. Nevertheless, a major challenge is to upscale agroecology beyond isolated successful examples. The recognition and demarcation of “indigenous lands” with focus on commons and on the preservation of local knowledge and culture is a potential opportunity to up-scale agroecology and improve the resilience of indigenous food systems. This study examines how indigenous territories and agroecology connect to each other in practice. We rely on a systematic review at global scale, a network analysis at national scale and a case study in the Bolivian Andes to look at the synergies and discrepancies that connect indigenous territories and agroecology. We found out that despite a high synergy potential, indigenous land rights and agroecology tend to be advocated for by separate networks. Furthermore, agroecological principles that focus on transition from high-input to more diversified agriculture are also ill-suited to the context of indigenous agriculture. Based on these findings, we propose pathways on how to harness the synergies between the consolidation of indigenous territories and agroecology.

FS 3.219: Mobility and transport in mountain regions: adressing research gaps and best practices

FS 3.221: Impacts of in- and out-migration in rural and mountainous areas of Europe and the Global South

#IMC: September 14 - 18 2025

FS 3.220

Local agroecological food systems in mountain regions

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