The First Bite: What is Agroecology?

What exactly is agroecology and why are so many people talking about it?In this first episode of Agroecology Bites, Evelyn Zuniga is joined by Johanna Jacobi, Assistant Professor of Agroecological Transitions at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, and Naimid Esnarriaga, Senior Agricultural Scientist, Terra Madre, Basel, Switzerland to take a closer look at the ideas behind the word. Is it just another term for organic farming? Is it a science, a movement, a way of life?From myths and misconceptions to real-world practices, they explain the basics in a way that’s clear, conversational, and relevant to everyday life. If you’ve ever wondered how farming can be more sustainable — or what role you play in that story — this episode is for you.Further reading:- The Agroecology Partnership SRIA (https://www.agroecologypartnership.eu/en/resources).- Uncovering decolonial pedagogies for learning agroecological transitions: comparative analysis of South America cases (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.103042).- Syntropic farming systems for reconciling productivity, ecosystem functions, and restoration (https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(25)00047-6).- Policy principles for sustainable and just land systems (https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.250810). The AGROECOLOGY Partnership, funded by Horizon Europe, unites the European Commission and 111 partners across 31 Member States, Associated Countries, and Third Countries. The Partnership will support an agriculture sector that is fit to meet the targets and challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, food security and sovereignty, and the environment, while ensuring a profitable and attractive activity for farmers.To find out more:https://www.agroecologypartnership.eu/ Agroecology Bites is a co-production with LastCastMedia.com