Agro-ecological system analysis (AESA) and farm planning

Summary

This is a planning tool and a practical guide which can be used by farming system students and farmer groups to get an overview over a farm. Organic agriculture is based on knowledge, insight and whole farm approaches. The farming system must work for each farmer family. Crop rotation cycles must be based on planning ahead, sometimes more than 2 years, so that different elements of the farm can work together. Intercropping must be based on knowledge on which crops support each other. The surrounding nature must be considered in the planning, e.g. rainfall, animals in the environment, where some of them can be predators and some can eat the crops. Herbs and weeds can prove to be valuable sources of nutrients, medicine or bio-pesticides.
Agro-Ecological System Analysis (AESA) gives a good overview over the farm. An AESA should capture all elements of importance for the farming on every particular farm. AESA is an approach which allows us to look critically and analyse what is on a farm and how these existing things can work together for the benefit of the farmer family and the sustainability of the farming system.