This stream of work focuses on how a transformative agroecology can be resourced. It looks critically at the role of public and philanthropic donors in enabling agroecology transitions.
We are investigating both the quantity of funding going to agroecology, as well as the quality of the delivery of the funding when it actually is allocated to agroecology.
We are also engaged with a wider body of thinking, research and action – some of which is represented in the growing number of studies that are examining the issue of ‘financing for agroecology’ (see list here).
The work
There is now a clear consensus on the need to profoundly transform our food systems in order to cope with multiple crises. Yet accelerating what we have been doing so far (or improving the efficiency of the current system) is not enough. Agroecology is a transformative paradigm that places social justice and sustainability at the centre. It is increasingly recognised and coming into its own on the global scene. Donors – large and small – are considering where to apply their resources to address the social and ecological crises of the times.
It is perhaps obvious to state that the current financial architecture for ‘agricultural development’ has not been designed and equipped to support agroecology, let alone to support the transitions required to enable a viable agroecology. Recent studies have begun to reveal how little money is allocated to agroecology, and how private and public donors are largely propping up industrial agriculture. Further, there has been little work that examines the conditions under which finance can (better) work for Agroecology.
This work at AgroecologyNow continues to be carried out with different partners and includes primary research, public engagement, policy-work and aims to support the transformation of financing approaches, programs, and methodologies in order to support bottom-up agroecology transformations.
The Agroecologynow Team:
with François Delvaux from CIDSE
and Faris Ahmed, independent
Partners and collaborators
Outcomes
Moeller, N.I. and F. Delvaux. (2020) Finance for Agroecology: More Than Just a Dream? Common Dreams.
Moeller, N.I. (2020) Analysis of Funding Flows to Agroecology: the case of European Union monetary flows to the United Nations’ Rome-based agencies and the case of the Green Climate Fund. CIDSE & CAWR.
Pimbert, M.P.; Moeller, N.I. (2018) Absent Agroecology Aid: On UK Agricultural Development Assistance Since 2010.Sustainability, 10, 505.