February 22, 2022

Research in agroecology in Europe – Fill out the survey launched by AE4EU

In the framework of AE4EU H2020 CSA project, a survey was launched understand how “agroecology” is understood and implemented by researchers involved in agroecology in Europe.

Agroecology (AE) which is based on an integration of scientific discipline, agricultural practices, and social movement (Wezel et al. 2009) represents a collective-action mode for challenging and contrasting the dominant agri-food regime and creating more sustainable alternatives (Levidow et al., 2014). Nevertheless, AE is also adopted by actors who promote conventional agriculture and for this reason, it can play a non-transformative role by being more conform to the dominant regime. Amongst the broad range of topics identified in European AE research (Wezel et al., 2018), some research approaches are more in line with the dominant agri-food regime, while others better integrate the participation of different actors and promote a territorial development with a wider transformative role. The two different roles of AE and the related applied research strategies can lead to very different outcomes in terms of the emerging socio-technical system.

To assess how AE is understood and perceived by research planners and designers in Europe, and to characterize the implementation of AE elements in various European countries and institutions, AE4EU (within Task 1.3) intends to map projects, programmes and institutions involved in AE research at national, transnational, and European levels.

Specifically, a survey that is intended for researchers from academic or other private and public research institutions which deal with research in agroecology in Europe has been launched. The goal of the survey is to collect information from researchers on their experiences in agroecological research and to gain a better understanding of potential opportunities and obstacles for research in agroecology.

The survey is available at the following link:
https://forms.gle/ieRYhgF4Ab5Lx2ok7

The article: “Agroecology and research, an essential combination: mapping and analysing the European, transnational and national research projects, programmes and Institutions” is available at the following link:
https://www.ae4eu.eu/agroecology-and-research-an-essential-combination-mapping-and-analysing-the-european-transnational-and-national-research-projects-programmes-and-institutions/
Information about the AE4EU project (CSA, H2020 CSA) are available at the following link:
https://www.ae4eu.eu/

Ileana Iocola and Stefano Canali
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research centre for Agriculture and Environment. Rome, Italy.
ileana.iocola@crea.gov.it
stefano.canali@crea.gov.it