ABSTRACT

The role of agroecological practices in addressing food security has had limited investigation, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Quasi-experimental methods were used to assess the role of agroecological practices in reducing food insecurity in smallholder households in Malawi. Two key practices – crop diversification and the incorporation of organic matter into soil – were examined. The quasi-experimental study of an agroecological intervention included survey data from 303 households and in-depth interviews with 33 households. The survey sampled 210 intervention households participating in the agroecological intervention, and 93 control households in neighboring villages. Regression analysis of food security indicators found that both agroecological practices significantly predicted higher food security and dietary diversity for smallholder households: the one-third of farming households who incorporated legume residue soon after harvest were almost three times more likely to be food secure than those who had not incorporated crop residue. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 33 households identified several pathways through which crop diversification and crop residue incorporation contributed to household food security: direct consumption, agricultural income, and changes in underlying production relations. These findings provide evidence of agroecology’s potential to address food insecurity while supporting sustainable food systems.

摘要

农业生态实践在解决粮食安全方面的作用受到了有限的调查，特别是在撒哈拉以南非洲。准实验方法用于评估农业生态实践在减少马拉维小农户粮食不安全方面的作用。研究了两个关键实践-作物多样化和将有机物质掺入土壤中。农业生态干预的准实验研究包括来自303户家庭的调查数据以及对33户家庭的深入访谈。该调查对参与农业生态干预措施的210个干预家庭和邻近村庄的93个对照家庭进行了抽样调查。对粮食安全指标的回归分析发现，两种农业生态实践都显着预测了小农户的更高的粮食安全和饮食多样性：三分之一的农户在收获后不久掺入豆类残留物的安全性是那些农户的三倍。没有掺入农作物残渣。对33户家庭进行的定性半结构化访谈确定了作物多样化和作物残渣掺入有助于家庭粮食安全的几种途径：直接消费，农业收入以及基本生产关系的变化。这些发现提供了农业生态学在支持可持续粮食系统的同时解决粮食不安全问题的潜力的证据。在收成后不久掺入豆类残留物的农户中，有三分之一的家庭获得食物保障的可能性是未掺入豆类残留物的农户的三倍。对33户家庭进行的定性半结构化访谈确定了作物多样化和作物残渣掺入有助于家庭粮食安全的几种途径：直接消费，农业收入以及基本生产关系的变化。这些发现提供了农业生态学在支持可持续粮食系统的同时解决粮食不安全问题的潜力的证据。在收成后不久掺入豆类残留物的农户中，有三分之一的家庭获得食物保障的可能性是未掺入豆类残留物的农户的三倍。对33户家庭进行的定性半结构化访谈确定了作物多样化和作物残渣掺入有助于家庭粮食安全的几种途径：直接消费，农业收入以及基本生产关系的变化。这些发现提供了农业生态学在支持可持续粮食系统的同时解决粮食不安全问题的潜力的证据。对33户家庭进行的定性半结构化访谈确定了作物多样化和作物残渣掺入有助于家庭粮食安全的几种途径：直接消费，农业收入以及基本生产关系的变化。这些发现提供了农业生态学在支持可持续粮食系统的同时解决粮食不安全问题的潜力的证据。对33户家庭进行的定性半结构化访谈确定了作物多样化和作物残渣掺入有助于家庭粮食安全的几种途径：直接消费，农业收入以及基本生产关系的变化。这些发现提供了农业生态学在支持可持续粮食系统的同时解决粮食不安全问题的潜力的证据。