Location: University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Dates: 3, 4 October 2024
“Agroecology Day for All” in Lausanne on 5 October 2024

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• Institut de Géographie et Durabilité
• Enterprise for Society
• Forum Origin, Diversity and Territories
• Plateforme romande de l’agroécologie

Food systems are facing major constraints, notably climate change and societal expectations, and are at an historic crossroads. Given the accelerating impact of global warming on resources such as water, as well as extreme weather events that ravage crops or destroy homes and infrastructure, and the depletion of soils and disappearance of plant and animal species, humanity is at a crossroads for ensuring the planet’s habitability. It is becoming crucial to find a fair, viable and relevant way of reducing the damage to natural resources and increasing resilience, while controlling the factors that contribute to the planet’s limits being exceeded. This must be done while respecting the fundamental rights and aspirations of human communities. In addition to climate-related challenges, other pressures on the planet’s resources, such as demographics and anthropogenic damage to biodiversity, are calling into question the very habitability of the planet.

Agriculture, as a key player in land use, food security and the health of cultivated agroecosystems, is at the heart of concerns. However, all partners in food systems, in the broadest sense, must also take account of global limits. Agroecology has long positioned itself as a credible alternative for transforming farming and food practices, highlighting the crucial social factors needed to support these changes.

The players involved in transforming food systems are exploring different solutions on a global scale to fight against the overexploitation of natural resources by drawing on biological and cultural diversity. To define community roadmaps, whether urban or rural, the agroecological transition and the political decisions that support it are influenced by crucial themes and principles. To have an impact, these must be shared, understood, and catalyzed within civil society, represented by consumers and social movements, as well as in scientific and political governance bodies.

Some aspects of agroecology, such as biological control of crop predators, the use of weather alerts to trigger biopesticide treatments, and the use of organic compost to regenerate soils, can be applied systematically in areas with a variety of environmental conditions. However, because of the influence of many natural factors on the health of plants and animals, adjustments on a local scale, such as districts, departments, valleys, or mountain ranges, are necessary to guarantee agroecological production of greater quantity and quality than conventional farming. Consumers themselves play a crucial role through their purchasing decisions, as do changes in the scale of food processing and distribution. The social issues behind consumer choices, fundamental rights and public ethics are also at stake in the agroecological transition of food systems.

As part of a rigorous selection process, we are proposing to bring together researchers and local players from Switzerland and neighboring countries, as well as from other countries around the world, as well as innovators in food systems. The aim is to discuss the role and scope of agroecological principles at the heart of their actions.

The conference provides a platform for discussion and exchange around concrete examples of systems supported by the principles of agroecology, on both small and large scale. It brings together the scientific community, local stakeholders, farmers, consumers, development agents, as well as decision-makers in governance bodies and international experts.

Workshop 1: Respecting planetary limits and strengthening the social foundations of the food system

Co-organisers: Catherine Lavallez and Anouchka Bagnoud (UNIL Sustainability Competence Centre)

In the 21st century, the greatest challenge facing our societies is to fit our activities into planetary limits while strengthening the social dimensions. In other words, it’s the transition towards the inside of Kate Raworth’s doughnut (Raworth, Kate (2012). A Safe and Just Space for Humanity: Can We Live within the Doughnut? Oxfam Discussion Papers). In this ecological and social transition, food systems play a central role. Not only do they have to reduce their impact on the planet’s limits, just like everyone else, but they are also a sector in social and economic crisis – a fact that is clear to see from the current farm revolts in Switzerland and Europe. The fundamental role of feeding the world’s populations falls to all the players in this system, while the environmental crisis, particularly in terms of climate and biodiversity, will affect them first and jeopardize their ability to fulfil this role. 

In this context, the doughnut is intended as a tool to help stakeholders navigate this necessary transition. This tool makes it possible to visualize and understand the state of the planetary limits and the social floor, as well as to appreciate the height of the step required to move inside the doughnut in 2050. However, as the doughnut is only a compass indicating the destination, it does not say much about the path to follow: it is up to the various players in the food systems to create it.

This colloquium proposes to set out the issues, knots, and levers through Kate Raworth’s doughnut, then to anchor ourselves in the field and to co-reflect on solutions for food systems within the doughnut in 2050, in four sessions:

• Session 1: Respecting the planet’s limits while strengthening the social base, the challenges, and complexities of food systems.
• Session 2: What if we changed the way we produce? Alternatives, agricultural policy, and political obstacles.
• Session 3: Transformation and distribution: a bottleneck?
• Session 4: Social foundations: between consumers and farmers.

Workshop 2: Understanding the diversity of agricultural approaches in the transition of food systems

Co-organisers: Stéphane Bellon (INRAE), Rémi Cluset (FAO), Ivanoé Koog (Earthworm Foundation)

The dynamics of food systems are undergoing profound change, with an increasing emphasis on sustainability, resilience, and ethical considerations. Within this landscape, various agricultural practices have emerged as potential drivers of positive change. However, the intersections and synergies between these practices remain complex and often poorly understood. This call aims to explore the evolving role of agricultural practices in transforming food systems, with a particular focus on the interplay between permaculture, regenerative agriculture, organic farming, among others, and agroecological principles.

The aim of the workshop is to build shared knowledge between the participants, based on a mutual understanding of existing practices, to create a common knowledge base. Such foundation will enable collaboration and synergies that can make sense and improve convergence towards the ecological transition of food systems.

• Session 1 – Definitions – The aim of this first session will be to clarify the definitions of the various production methods and their compatibility with an agroecological transition. This session will address the diversity and controversy surrounding agricultural practices that offer an alternative to so-called “conventional” agriculture, i.e. agriculture that exploits natural resources in compliance with current laws but without making any additional efforts towards natural resources that are under pressure from human exploitation, climate change and the globalization of trade. The contributions may address from the point of view of ontology and epistemology the foundations and principles underlying the practices, governance mechanisms, and approaches in relation to the ecological transition will also be addressed.
• Session 2 – Systemic approach – In this session, the main theme will be to move from a series of definitions and considerations for modes identified in session 1 to a holistic and systemic vision of coexistence and assemblages between modes of production. Trajectories, changes of scale and the temporal aspects of transition are at the heart of this session. The aim is to discuss how modes of production and the corresponding farming systems are progressing in certain areas and parts of the world. Contributions may propose approaches aimed at identifying criteria for comparison, but also practical and lived experiences of coevolution, hybridization, and virtuous assemblages between the principles/elements of agroecology and various ways of naming practices or products.
• Session 3 – Evaluation – In this session, the principles underpinning current approaches in connection with the agroecological transition will be confronted with exploration or analysis based on conceptual frameworks and evaluation indicators (metrics) that can account for the effectiveness of their contribution to this transition.
• Session 4 – Adding value – The tools, approaches and philosophy identified in session 3 will then be discussed regarding the mechanisms for adding value, which can be of several kinds: inclusion in a heritage, conservation through a legal mechanism, public financial support, creation of an image and reputation, attribution of added value by intermediary buyers and end consumers, and so on.

Workshop 3: Contribution of livestock production and pastoralism in a territorial approach to agroecology

Co-organisers: Marcelo Champredonde (INTA), Philippe Jeanneaux (VetAgroSup), Jean-Louis Le Guerroué (Uni-Brazilia), Madeleine Kaufmann (OFAG), Ivana Madersic (FAO)

This workshop aims to discuss the contributions of agroecology principles to livestock production systems.

The aim is to discuss various aspects:

• Cultural and community aspects: Exploration of cultural and community aspects of livestock management. Recognition of the historical link between certain breeds and local cultures. Noting the impact of industrialization on the loss of traditional knowledge and practices.
• Challenges for scientific adaptation: Concerns about the limitations of the scientific community in adapting to the changing needs of agricultural systems. Emphasis on the need for a broader perspective that takes account of factors beyond measurable parameters. One example is the principles guiding the mobilization of knowledge to guide choices in animal genetics. Selection criteria will be addressed in the light of agroecology principles, by positioning the choices to be made in terms of breed adaptation beyond factors such as growth rate and yield.
• The role of politics and economics: Discussion of the impact of politics and economic pressures on farming practices, particularly in South America, using Brazil and Argentina as examples.
• Sociological and symbolic dimensions: Recognition of sociological and symbolic dimensions, including the representation of genetics in local cultures and the significance of aesthetic criteria in breeding. Sociological, economic, and political aspects impacting on the transition to sustainable and agroecological practices. 

The sessions are organized around four themes:

• Session 1: The role of the specific characteristics of animal products linked to their origin in adaptation to climatic, social, and economic change. This point will be analyzed based on work on agroecological transition, including indicators (FAO TAPE tool).
• Session 2: Multi-criteria approaches and holistic assessment methods to take account of more specific contexts, considering the interactions between livestock systems, the environment, and social and economic factors.
• Session 3: Identification of the pathways of material and institutional dependence in the evolution of livestock and pastoral systems, with examples (animal genetics, ruminant feed, fodder resource management, agroforestry in livestock systems, etc.).
• Session 4: Public action to support change, with a focus on new indicators and the issue of support for local players to help them make the transition that concerns them and in which they are stakeholders.

Workshop 4: Nourishing the agroecological transition by exploring local dynamics and non-technical skills

Co-organisers: François Casabianca (ORIGIN), Claire Bernard-Mongin (CIRAD), Paul Donadieu (ETH), Dimitris Goussios (Uni-Thessaly), Cassiano Luminati (Polo Poschiavo), Emilia Schmitt (UNIL).

The global call for sustainable agricultural practices has triggered a shift towards agroecological transition, underlining the need for localized and territory-based approaches. This workshop aims to explore the complex dynamics of agroecological transition within specific territories, focusing on facilitating processes, developing soft skills, and overcoming systemic barriers. By exploring these themes in greater depth, we hope to foster a better understanding of how to navigate effectively and accelerate the transition to more resilient and sustainable food systems. The objectives of the workshop are:

• Discuss the role of local facilitators in promoting agroecological transition processes. Explore the skills needed to facilitate successful transitions.
• Analyze the factors influencing the success of territorial facilitators and the importance of historical knowledge and ancestral wisdom in the face of current uncertainties.
• Discuss strategies for breaking down systemic barriers within the agri-food system and promoting collective mobilization and collaboration.

Session 1: Territorial facilitation and soft skills

• Intermediation as a process: exploring the role of local facilitators in driving agroecological transition (building intentionality and legitimacy, modes of commitment in driving change, recomposing collective visions, long vs. short term).
• Intermediation as practice: examining the skills and competencies required for effective facilitation (contextualisation, reflexivity, performativity)
• New intermediation tools: from digital to serious games, what opportunities or challenges?

Session 2. Local knowledge, culture, and traditional food

• Agroecological transition processes and epistemic authority: what mechanisms are used to select legitimate and relevant knowledge?
• Recognizing the value of historical knowledge and ancestral wisdom in shaping agroecological practices.
• Discuss ways of integrating traditional knowledge into modern agroecological transitions.

Session 3. The levers of transition within local society:

• Exploring the societal dimensions of the agroecological transition beyond the agricultural sector, by mobilizing local citizens.
• Addressing the challenges of engaging diverse stakeholders and fostering inclusive transition processes at territorial level.

Session 4. Unlocking systemic barriers:

• Identify barriers within the agri-food system and strategies for overcoming them.
• Discuss the cultural, institutional, and psychological factors that influence the dynamics of transition.

Workshop 5: Fundamental rights for an inclusive agroecology – the right to food, social security for food, access to land.

Co-organisers: Gaëlle Bigler (Agroecologyworks!), Christophe Golay (Geneva Academy & IHEID), Alessandra Roversi (SDC), Marco Trentin (consultant).

By recognising and respecting the fundamental rights associated with inclusive citizen agroecology, we can create more just sustainable and resilient food systems. This workshop aims to inspire collective action to advance these essential rights and build a better food future for all. Citizen and inclusive agroecology is based on the principles of sustainability, social justice and respect for the fundamental rights of individuals and groups. In this workshop, we will explore the essential rights that underpin a truly inclusive agroecology. We will focus on the right to food and the fundamental rights linked to social security of food and access to land.

We are inviting contributions on the themes defined in the objectives, from researchers and experts as well as from people involved in citizen initiatives on the 5 continents. The contributions will be presented in a short 10′ format, to allow time for discussion between the panelists and the workshop participants. A final declaration will be drawn up, conveying the findings, expectations, and vision through one or more powerful messages to the community of NGOs and state agencies in charge of these fundamental issues for a transition to sustainable food systems based on the principles and elements of agroecology. The objectives of the workshop are as follows:

• Understand the fundamental rights linked to citizen and inclusive agroecology.
• Explore the current challenges linked to these rights and possible solutions.
• Encourage public participation in the promotion and protection of these rights.
• Sessions 1&2. The right to food – Definition and scope of the right to food as a fundamental right.
  • The obligations of States and stakeholders to guarantee this right.
  • Obstacles to the effective exercise of the right to food and the groups most affected.
  • Initiatives and best practices to promote access to adequate and nutritious food for all.
• Session 3. The social security of food
  • Understand the fundamental rights linked to the social security of food.
  • Identify the limits of current policies and programs aimed at strengthening food security, social protection, safety nets and early warning systems.
  • Emphasizing the importance of empowering communities to ensure their own food security.
  • Initiatives and best practices to put social security for food into practice.
• Session 4. Access to land
  • Access to land as a fundamental human right for food production.
  • The challenges of land concentration and land grabbing.
  • Policies and practices to promote equitable access to land for farmers, indigenous communities and marginalized groups.
  • Sustainable and equitable land management models.

Workshop 6: Fair and just food systems: transparency within the food system and the True Cost of Food.

Co-organisers: Dominique Barjolle (UNIL), Veronica Petrencu (UNIL-EPFL), Rolf Arnold (UniBern), Philippe Baret (UCLouvain), Inès Burrus (Equal-Profit), Matthieu Calame (FPH), Nadia El-Hage (Arizona State University)

Food systems play an essential role in the development of human health, environmental sustainability and social justice. However, current food systems often lack transparency, obscuring the true cost of food, which includes not only its production cost and margins, but also its environmental, social and health impacts, which are externalities not considered in the current economic system.

To establish justice within the food system, another dimension is transparency on costs and margins at the different levels of the supply chain, which is the basis for confidence in markets where fair prices remunerate the different players, without market power relationships leading to distortions in the distribution of value.

This workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration to better understand the challenges and opportunities related to transparency within food systems and the concept of the true cost of food. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we aim to identify innovative strategies and policies to promote equity, justice, and sustainability within our food systems.

We are seeking contributions on the following topics, among others: quantifying the true cost of food production, distribution and consumption; assessing and monetizing the environmental impacts of different food production systems, as well as the social and health impacts of food systems, including issues of access to food, equity and nutrition; identifying barriers and opportunities for implementing food policies and practices that promote market transparency and fairness in trade transactions. Case studies and empirical research on innovative approaches to improve transparency and to take into account the true cost of food are welcome.

The sessions focus on the following themes:

• Session 1: Debate a grid of understanding on the different concepts and levels of disaggregation for calculating the true costs of food, considering the objectives that guide the methodological choices of using real food accounting.
• Session 2: To look at examples and experiments carried out at company level, with a view to understanding how decision-makers use true cost data, and how this information is interpreted and used by consumers in their food choices and purchasing decisions.
• Sesson 3: The social cost, using the example of pesticide use in France. The link will be made with the use of data produced by calculations that can be made to account for the social costs that public policies choose to assume on a national scale, for example.
• Session 4: Participatory panel with several representatives of civil society, participating farmers, food entrepreneurs, politicians and people interested in implementation.

Workshop 7: Local sourcing for healthy food in urban and peri-urban food systems

Co-organisers: Florence Tartanac (FAO), Martijn Sonnevelt (WFSC ETH), Gabrielle Kesso van Zutphen-Küffer (Sight & Life), Helen Prytherch (SwissTPH)

This call for papers offers a unique opportunity to highlight and deepen our understanding of agroecology as a basis for local and sustainable food provision, essential for improving diets in urban contexts. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to explore the potential of agroecology to transform urban food systems, the crucial importance of which is on the agenda of the high-level panel of experts to the FAO Committee on Food Security, which will issue its report on this subject in mid-2024.

Faced with increasing urbanization and the associated challenges, including food security, access to healthy diets and environmental sustainability, agroecology is emerging as a promising solution. It offers a route to local and sustainable food production, capable of supporting healthy and environmentally friendly diets in urban areas. This call for papers aims to bring together research, case studies, analyses and reflections on the role of agroecology in promoting a local and sustainable food supply in cities, thereby contributing to improving the diet of city dwellers. Local supply could come from urban agriculture as well as from the regions around cities, as it is recognized that urban agriculture is not able to provide enough food for the urban population.

The sessions are structured as follows:

• Session 1: Principles and practices of agroecological production and supply for cities: Exploration of agroecological principles adapted to the urban context and their practical applications for sustainable food production – Case studies on the successful implementation of agroecological practices in urban agriculture projects and urban regions.
• Session 2: Impact of agroecology on food security and nutrition in cities: Analyses of the contribution of agroecology to improving access to fresh, local and nutritious food in urban areas – Assessment of the impact of agroecological initiatives on food diversity and public health in urban areas – Discussions on the integration of agroecology into food security and land-use planning policies in urban areas – Examples of synergies between agroecology, short food circuits and local markets in cities.
• Session 3: Challenges and opportunities for agroecological production and supply in cities: Identification of the main obstacles to the adoption of agroecology for supplying urban areas and proposals for solutions – Prospects for the future development of agroecology as a pillar of sustainable urban food systems.
• Session 4: Community involvement and citizen participation: Analysis of the importance of community involvement and citizen participation in the success of agroecological initiatives for cities – Studies on the role of agroecology education and awareness-raising in promoting a sustainable food culture in urban areas.

• Thursday 3 and Friday 4 October: the Days take place at the UNIL and consist of group and plenary discussions between researchers, national and international agriculture, food and cooperation agencies, local and regional leaders, international experts and producers.
• Saturday 5 October will be devoted to “Agroecology Day for All” at the Impact Hub in Lausanne: open-air workshops, theatrical performances, lectures, and discussion workshops open to the general public.

A plenary session will introduce the theme of the forum, followed by seven parallel workshops covering the following topics:

**The schedule will be available soon**

The aim of the Scientific Days is to open debates on a number of important agroecology themes for participants, who will work together to envisage a sustainable, fair and transparent food system. Our planet’s limits have been exceeded, but solutions exist to meet the challenge of respecting them, while taking social aspects into account.

The Scientific Committee invites you to get involved in the preparation of these Days by contributing your knowledge and experience in the field. The Journées are open to all, with the aim of establishing links between practical projects and research, whether it be disciplinary, interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary. 

To send your contribution

1. First register on this link
2. Read the call: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p67t3r4shwu4sb144ovdv/AC_JS-_Agroecology_EN.pdf?rlkey=la8uggroyzib6srkjtsw8t6x4&dl=0
3. Upload your one-page contribution by clicking here: https://www.dropbox.com/request/aJX25a1P2wxbRT5AR93D
4. Use the contribution template available here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1e3no3fqff355kkurbxgb/Template_Abstract_ODT24.docx?rlkey=kifltccs5mofzykseib74iqn2&dl=0
5. Lastly, upload your video contribution by following the instructions below: How to send your video contribution?

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