Agroecology Institute of Namibia

The agroecological practices we want to map here involve the integration of ecological principles into agricultural systems to promote socioeconomic sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience. The key practices includes crop diversification through intercropping and crop rotation, the use of organic fertilisers and soil amendments such as compost and biochar to enhance a healthy strong living soil, conservation tillage or minimum disturbances of the top soil, more agroforestry, which combines crops and trees, keeping a number of livestock based on the carrying capacity per unit and integrated pests management. This integration of practices will improve land productivity and maintain an ecological balance. These methods should also aim to minimise the reliance on external inputs such as synthetic fertilisers to enhance agroecosystems that imitate the natural landscapes, improve livelihoods and resilience.