Summary
Bangor University’s research partnership with World Agroforestry produced a paradigm shift in agronomy, supporting agroecological transitions across three continents.
Many smallholder farmers lack locally suitable agricultural practices that regenerate rather than degrade the environment. Applying Bangor’s options by context (OxC) approach profoundly changed international, national and private sector policy and practice across 15 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Options by context supports local innovation by farmers by fostering transition to more agroecological farming methods, including agroforestry. These involve maximizing use of natural processes, such as biological nitrogen fixation, rather than forcing agricultural systems with external inputs
Diverse and inclusive agroecological options that result from applying this approach, include increasing food security, farm income and environmental resilience for over two million people, restoring over 2.5million ha of land, with 422,968 households and 428,599ha already reached, through investment of over £101 million in projects using OxC.
