Lecture Agroecology: sustaining food production in a planet in polycrisis

Miguel A. Altieri studied agronomy at the University of Chile, where he received a BS. He also obtained a Master at the National University of Colombia. He graduated with a Ph.D. in entomology at the University of Florida. In 1981 he became Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management and after 37 years of service he is now Professor Emeritus.

At Berkeley he taught agroecology and urban agriculture, but he also serves as guest professor in numerous Universities in Latin America, Spain and Italy. He has conducted most of his research in California and Latin America and Chile, working closely with farmers to implement principles of agroecology to design productive, biodiverse and resilient farming systems.

Here it follows the general syllabus of the seminars:

1. April 28, morning: 4 hours theoretical seminar. Topics: the ecological impacts of industrial agriculture, the socio-economical impacts of industrial agriculture, opportunities and solutions from agroecology, agroecological conversion of farming systems and the assessment of sustainability and resiliency of agroecosystems

2. April 29, morning and afternoon: practical field lesson (8 hours) starting at 9:30 a.m. in Montesole (Bologna province), in the municipality of Marzabotto: “Agroecology and the protection of public and private landscapes through a different model of agriculture and livestock farming”

3. April 30, morning: 4 hours seminar theoretical seminar. Topics: the scientific basis of agroecology and the role of biodiversity in agroecosystems, urban agroecology, applications of agroecology to rural development in Latin America.