Text 1. Agroecology

Agroecology is a scientific discipline that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving. Agroecological research considers interactions of all important biophysical, technical and socioeconomic components of farming systems and regards these systems as the fundamental units of study, where mineral cycles, energy transformations, biological processes and socioeconomic relationships are analyzed as a whole in an interdisciplinary fashion.

Agroecology is concerned with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimizes the use of local resources while minimizing the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts of modern technologies. In industrial countries, modern agriculture with its yield maximizing high-input technologies generates environmental and health problems that often do not serve the needs of producers and consumers. In developing countries, in addition to promoting environmental degradation, modern agricultural technologies have bypassed the circumstances and socio-economic needs of large numbers of resource-poor farmers.

The contemporary challenges of agriculture have evolved from the merely technical to also include social, cultural, economic and particularly environmental concerns. Agricultural production issues cannot be considered separately from environmental issues. In this light, a new technological and development approach is needed to provide for the agricultural needs of present and future generations without depleting our natural resource base. The agroecological approach does just this because it is more sensitive to the complexities of local agriculture, and has a broad performance criteria which includes properties of ecological sustainability, food security, economic viability, resource conservation and social equity, as well as increased production.

3. Using the text above, finish the following sentences:

1) Agroecology is … that uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems that are productive but also resource conserving.

2) Agroecology … with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimizes the use of local resources.

3) Modern agricultural technologies … and socio-economic needs of large numbers of resource-poor farmers.

4) The contemporary challenges of agriculture ... the merely technical to also include social, cultural, economic and particularly environmental concerns.

5) Agricultural production issues … separately from environmental issues.

6) A new technological and development approach … to provide for the agricultural needs of present and future generations without depleting our natural resource base.

7) The agroecological approach … more ... to the complexities of local agriculture, and has a broad performance criteria which includes properties of ecological sustainability.

4. Answer the following questions:

1) What does agroecology as a scientific discipline use?

2) What does agroecological research consider?

3) Is agroecology concerned with the maintenance of a productive agriculture that sustains yields and optimizes the use of local resources while minimizing the negative environmental and socio-economic impacts of modern technologies?

4) From what concerns have the contemporary challenges of agriculture evolved?

5) Is a new technological and development approach needed to provide for the agricultural needs of present and future generations without depleting our natural resource base?