How agroecology can boost productivity, reduce hunger

Dar es Salaam. Practitioners of sustainable agriculture consider agroecological farming as a suitable approach against low agricultural productivity and food insecurity as it focuses on conserving the environment for future generations.

Currently, the world suffers from the impacts of climate change, which are manifested by unpredictable weather with inadequate or too much rainfall and prolonged dry spells. All this is coupled with outbreaks of pests and diseases, all of which have a significant impact on agricultural productivity.

Mr Daniel Maeda, a biotechnologist and lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) was recently quoted by a foreign media outlet as saying that the reality on the ground instigates the need for revising agricultural practices.

“They compare with what they need and look at issues of climate change because you have much less land that can’t produce what you need. You also have challenges related to droughts, thus a need for drought-resistant crops,” he explained.

Adding: “On the other hand, you also have biological stress such as insects and pests in your crops, the growing population, and child malnutrition, which made them consider adding this arm (genetically modified organisms, – GMOs) to their agriculture sector.”

Moreover, Paul Chilewa from Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement (TOAM) said that although many agricultural technologies are available for improved agricultural productivity and food security, they are questionable when it comes to safety and sustainable agriculture.

According to him, the goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Therefore, he said: “Agroecology farming, which is in fact a mixture of traditional knowledge and new scientific techniques, is an answer to an ever-increasing demand for organic products, thus growing the economy.”

Mr Chilewa thinks that since Tanzania is an agrarian economy dependent on its smallholder farmers, there is therefore a need for a transformation of the food system that is sustainable, which requires the adoption of an agroecology farming approach.

“With GMO, of course, you will have to use not only its seeds but the whole of its value chain, that is to say, the seed, which leads you to use industrial fertilisers, then one will also need to make use of pesticides,” he observed.

Mr Chilewa believes that extensive use of pesticides in agriculture may cause undesirable effects to human health and the environment.

According to him, the government supports agroecological farming as it has developed a national ecological agriculture strategy that has not yet been implemented. And that the document is set to guarantee quality standards nationwide.

“Agroecology cultivation methods include water management and the consistent avoidance of artificial fertilisers and pesticides, as the aim is to make use of what is locally available at low cost in such a way that both people and nature benefit equally,” he explained.

Adding: “This is far different from GMO, which focuses on productivity without sustainability in mind, and GMO practitioners make huge profits at the expense of human health and the environment.”

On the other hand, Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe once told this paper that Tanzania isn’t open to GMOs.

“We are not open to GM technology,” said Mr Bashe when reached for comment by The Citizen.

The Ministry of Agriculture has made an unequivocal response to Tanzania’s position on the use of biotechnology in food production after concerns were raised by some agriculture stakeholders, including consumers, about the potential entry of such crops.

The minister further reiterated that Tanzania does not promote or commercialise genetically modified crop varieties, as the country’s hybrid and open-pollinated (OP) varieties are performing well.

Mr Bashe added that Tanzania is closely monitoring developments in Kenya, which hinted recently that it is open to the introduction of GMOs. He allayed fears, saying that the neighbours’ move “has no effect on us”. He added that Tanzania had cancelled GMO trials, and its position is still unchanged.

“Currently, issues related to biotechnology are being widely researched so that people understand its handling and control as far as data collection and analysis are concerned,” he said.

As such, Mr Bashe added, whenever responsible authorities are satisfied with the matter, Tanzania will proceed with GMO trials.

“But such trials will only be allowed for academic purposes, which in turn will help the country and its people have a broad understanding of GMO varieties, especially the benefits and impact on the environment.”

In its article dubbed ‘Tanzania: government forces hybrid seeds and fertilisers, but agroecology consciousness rises,’ Mr Boaventura Monjane, a lead author, is of the view that farmers are aware of the benefits that lie in sustainable agriculture.

“Farmers are aware of the benefits of a farming system that protects nature and biodiversity and does away with chemicals and corporate seeds and inputs,” the article reads in part.

In fact, agriculture analysts believe that agroecological systems offer promising models for healthy agriculture, which is contrary to what GMO offers, as the system promotes biodiversity, thrives without external inputs, and sustains year-round yields in the midst of climatic variability.

Ms Jenister Zuberi, an agriculture stakeholder, sees agroecology as an ethical farming system that, when properly undertaken, exhibits attributes of diversity, productivity, resilience, and efficiency.

“These initiatives aim at transforming both industrial agriculture and the existing food systems to encourage local and national food production by farmers based on available local innovation and resources,” she noted.

Ms Zuberi believes that depending on chemical fertilisers, insecticides, and hybrid seeds simply means one will need to purchase new seeds each year, making them extremely vulnerable to disease.

A recent journal published by Ms Sauda Kanjanja, Ms Devotha Mosha and Mr Sylvester Haule from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) considers agroecology to be an answer to sustainable food systems and environmental conservation.

The article, dubbed ‘Determinants of the Implementation of Agroecological Practices among Smallholder Farmers in Singida District, Tanzania,’ establishes characteristics of agroecology, noting that it is low-cost as it does not depend on expensive external inputs.

“The multi-dimensional role of agroecology in reducing hunger and poverty is well acknowledged worldwide. Agroecology refers to a farming practice that relies on ecosystem services rather than on external inputs,” the paper partly reads.

According to the authors’ findings, increased use of external agriculture inputs has multiple detrimental consequences for the environment, as excessive use of industrial fertilisers and agrochemicals reduces environmental quality, soil infertility and biodiversity.

Consequently, the trio is of the view that soil infertility leads to low crop yields, a reduction in livestock and poultry production, and a resultant decrease in community income, which threatens livelihood generation, especially for small-scale farmers.

The challenges of soil fertility exhaustion and ecosystem deterioration have encouraged governments, farmers, and scientists to explore alternative agronomic agriculture practices that have fewer negative effects on agro-ecosystems.

In fact, agro-ecology has an encouraging potential to improve the country’s food security by increasing yields and soil fertility.

Therefore, there is a significant need for the country’s farmers to adopt the agroecology if the country is set on improving food security, livelihood, and social and environmental benefits.