Agroecology

Feasta supports agroecological farming as a vital part of the transition to a wellbeing economy. Agroecology is a holistic approach that seeks to reconcile agriculture and local communities with natural processes, for the common benefit of nature and livelihoods.

Within Ireland, we collaborate with the Irish farmer’s group Talamh Beo, which is a member of the global agroecological farming group La Via Campesina.

If you’re a farmer in Ireland and you’re interested in getting practical information on agroecology, exchanging experience-based insights and contributing to the global agroecology movement, you can join Talamh Beo here.

Talamh Beo core member and farmer Fergal Anderson is a Feasta member and an Environmental Pillar representative on the NESC Agricultural and Climate Action Working Group.

Feasta member Caroline Whyte, who is an ecological economist, is researching and promoting broader economic measures which could ease expansionary pressure on agriculture, making it easier for farmers to transition to agroecological practices. In 2022 she published a Feasta discussion paper on this subject,“Land, Labour, Housing, Money, Farms: Moving the economic goalposts of Irish agriculture.” Two online workshops were held in April and May 2022, which included feedback on the paper from commentators in many different sectors, including Talamh Beo, ARC2020, academia, Basic Income Ireland, the trade union movement and the social justice movement.

Agroecology is also one of the themes of our ongoing Food for Thought events, which are held annually in County Mayo, in partnership with Afri.

Note: Feasta is a forum for exchanging ideas. By posting on its site Feasta agrees that the ideas expressed by authors are worthy of consideration. However, there is no one ‘Feasta line’. The views of the article do not necessarily represent the views of all Feasta members.