Agroecology
Since IDEMS conception agroecology has been not only an important area of work but also a source of inspiration. An agroecological approach is guided by principles and embraces complexity. The agroecological community is strengthened by the way it combines a wide range of actors each bringing their own perspective. It includes serious academic researchers who follow scientific evidence, practitioners who value the positive individual and societal outcomes and advocates who believe strongly in its vision of more sustainable food systems.
Agroecology Hub
IDEMS collaborates closely with Manor House Agricultural Centre in Kenya to support a community of practice of agroecological organisations. This collaboration is particularly focused on engaging farmers and their supporters with evidence based agroecological practices while building the evidence base by investigating other practices using farmer research network approaches.
Research Method Support for Collaborative Crop Research Programme (CCRP)
The McKnight Foundation’s CCRP has been supporting some amazing agroecological research in West Africa which IDEMS has be privileged to support. Of note there is the farmer federation in Niger doing participatory research with thousands of farmers on the use of human urine as a fertiliser, the nutritionist in Burkina Faso who is using local legumes to improve child nutrition, and researchers in Mali transforming the local seed systems through farmer led initiatives and participatory breeding.