Agroecology offers science-based solutions to several agricultural challenges, for example, by providing ways to build soil health and protect water resources while maintaining productive and resilient farms. However, more investment and incentives are needed to support broader implementation of agroecology across a wide range of crop varieties, climates, geographic regions, and other agricultural conditions. In the US, recent analysis has shown that only a limited amount of public funding is invested in agroecological research, extension, and education activities. To our knowledge, there has been limited additional exploration of the obstacles and opportunities surrounding public support for US agroecology research and practice.
To gain a better understanding of potential opportunities and barriers to agroecology, we distributed an online confidential survey to researchers and other professionals with advanced degrees and experience in fields related to sustainable agriculture. This IRB-approved 28 question survey contained both multiple-choice and open-ended questions regarding respondents’ experiences with agroecology. A total of 176 qualified experts completed the survey. These respondents represented a wide geographic range of the US; diverse positions at academic, non-profit, private, governmental, and other institutions; and a range of career stages.
Results/Conclusions
Our results provided additional evidence that agroecology is underfunded given current needs and demands (84% of respondents perceived lack of funding to be an important obstacle), but also identified additional barriers preventing scientists from undertaking and engaging on agroecology research, extension and education. In particular, survey respondents (69%) indicated that more long-term financial support is needed to enable the complex, systems-based research required in this field. A majority of scientists also cited social justice and racial equity as important issues to be better integrated into agroecology, and they reported difficulty communicating scientific findings outside of academic circles. Numerous respondents (89%) also suggested that entrenched financial interests present barriers to their work.
Survey results also highlighted opportunities to strengthen public support for agroecology. For example, multiple experts stated there is widespread interest in agroecology, including from students, colleagues and other stakeholders, particularly for conducting interdisciplinary, farmer-driven, and community-based research. Scientists also suggested that agroecological practices show a potential to be scaled up. Finally, survey results point to broader programmatic changes that could enable research programs to better support scientists, farmers, and other stakeholders working in the field of agroecology.