CASE
Agroecology in action: a solution from Indonesian peasants to food and climate crises
Serikat Petani Indonesia - Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI), 2024
Languages
Indonesian, English
Tags
Agroecology school, Consumers, Income, Climate change, Environmental health, Human health
Countries covered
Indonesia
Geographic area
Aceh Province, Jambi Province, Yogyakarta Province, East Java Province
Communication product
Communication products developed to present the case to the target audience. These may be videos, presentations, documents or other relevant formats.
Agroecology in Action: A Solution from Indonesian Peasants to Food and Climate Crises
CASE DETAILS
STATEMENT
If the government and peasants put agroecology as their main agricultural model, and people consume food produced from agroecological agriculture then food and climate crises can be overcome.
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Government.
- Peasant Groups.
- Consumer Organisations.
TARGET AUDIENCE'S PRIORITIES AND VALUES
- Government: Increasing food production yields, reducing contribution of agriculture to climate change and increasing peasants’ income.
- Peasant Groups: Increasing food production yields, maintaining the sustainability of their agriculture, increasing their income.
- Consumer Organisations: Consuming healthy and nutritious food.
FRAMING OF THE ARGUMENT
- Agroecological practices can increase food production, reduce agriculture's contribution to climate change and increase peasants’ income.
- Agroecology is easier to practise than conventional agriculture, it generates higher income as it can increase food production while maintaining the sustainability of agriculture.
- Agroecology produces food that is nutritious and healthy.
STRATEGY
We use comparisons between agroecological and conventional agriculture.
- For government and peasants: comparisons that show how agroecology can increase food production yields, reduce agriculture's contribution to climate change and increase peasants' incomes.
- For communities: comparisons that show how food produced from agroecological practices is healthier and more nutritious.
CALLS TO ACTION
- Government: Implement agroecology as the main agricultural model in the country through law and policies.
- Peasant Groups: Adopt agroecology as an agricultural model.
- Consumer organisations: Consume food produced from agroecological agriculture.
CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE
This section contains each claim made by the case, along with the evidence provided to prove that claim. Evidence may be first or second hand, include any combination of qualitative and quantitative data, and can come from a variety of sources.
Food and climate crises can be overcome by mainstreaming agroecology
EVIDENCE
- Seeds, fertilizers, hormones, pest and disease control are made by the farmer, using materials around the farm.
- The cost of rice production from conventional agriculture is 30 million per hectare per season, while the cost of rice production from agroecology is only 20 million per hectare per season.
- The cost of corn production from conventional agriculture is 15 million per hectare per season, while the cost of corn production from agroecology is only 10 million per hectare per season.
- The rice cycle from agroecology is 80 to 85 days, while the rice cycle from conventional agriculture is 90 - 100 days.
- The corn cycle from agroecology is 100 days, while the rice cycle from conventional agriculture is 120 days.
Sources
Video on 'Agroecology in Action: A Solution from Indonesian Peasants to Food and Climate Crises'.
See section
communication products
for source details.
EVIDENCE
- Rice yields are 20 to 30 per cent higher, at 7.2 tonnes per hectare. Conventional farming only produces 6 tonnes per hectare.
- Corn yields are 20 to 30 per cent higher when compared to yields from conventional farming.
- The rice yield from agroecology grown in an area of 1000 square metres produces 120 kilograms of rice, while the yield from conventional farming with the same size produces 80 kilograms.
Sources
Video on 'Agroecology in Action: A Solution from Indonesian Peasants to Food and Climate Crises'.
See section
communication products
for source details.
EVIDENCE
- Unlike conventional agriculture, in agroecology, bacteria that accelerate the decomposition of organic matter from crop residues do not die. Natural predators, which are farmers' best friends, are also not dead.
- As a result of the loss of these bacteria and natural predators, the soil becomes harder and less fertile.
- The more complex or diverse an environment is, the more stable it is, so agroecology maintains that complexity, resisting uniformity or monocrops, resisting the loss of biodiversity.
Sources
Video on 'Agroecology in Action: A Solution from Indonesian Peasants to Food and Climate Crises'.
See section
communication products
for source details.
EVIDENCE
- Food from agroecology is healthier because it is not contaminated with chemical residues.
- Excessive amounts of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser applied to crops have harmful effects on the environment and potentially on human health through drinking nitrate-contaminated groundwater or consuming high nitrate-containing vegetables.
- Farmers who practice agroecology have access to varied and nutritious crops used for their own food. This allows a diverse, healthy and nutritious diet.
Sources
Video on 'Agroecology in Action: A Solution from Indonesian Peasants to Food and Climate Crises'.
See section
communication products
for source details.
Ahmed, M., Rauf, M., Mukhtar, Z. et al. Excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers: an unawareness causing serious threats to environment and human health. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 26983–26987 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0589-7
OTHER DETAILS
Photos
Nesia Anggelita, Young Farmer from Yogyakarta.
Bondan Unggul Nur Insani, Young Farmer from Jambi.
Agus Salim, Young Farmer from Aceh.
Leading organisation
Name
Serikat Petani Indonesia - Indonesian Peasant Union (SPI)
Website
Contact
Afgan Fadila |
afgankibo@spi.or.id