Farming systems ecology : towards ecological intensification of world agriculture

Summary

The model of intensification that is deeply rooted in the mind of scientists from the green revolution generation is obsolete. We need to think outside the box. Agriculture needs knowledge-intensive management systems to improve food security and incomes in the South, and to reduce the dependence on external (fossil fuel) inputs in the North. The design of landscapes that support an ecologically intensive agriculture creates opportunities for synergies between food production and ecosystem services. Most importantly, this can contribute to detoxify or food and the environment.