The transformation: Agroecology as a movement

Authors: Wisdom Ezechi (Agroecology student SLU Alnarp) and Lovisa Hast (Intern at SIANI) 

Agroecology is a movement that seeks to reimagine agriculture as more than production alone, but as a system that integrates environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. Agroecological practices such as diversified cropping systems, agroforestry, aquatic food production, and holistic sustainability approaches are gaining traction globally as viable responses to today’s most pressing agricultural and environmental challenges. However, for these approaches to move from small-scale innovation to broader impact, stronger linkages between academic research, farmer-led initiatives, and policymaking are required. Agroecology Day 2025 “From Research to Practice: Scaling Agroecological Solutions,” set out to forge those links across disciplines and sectors. 

The SLU Alnarp Agroecology Master’s student hosted event, gathered over 120 researchers, students, farmers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers on campus and online to discuss viable and scalable agroecological practices, rooted in both scientific evidence and on-the-ground experience. 

Voices of transformation: From the Andes to the Archipelago 

Leon Bucher started the day off by reminding us of the importance of whole-system thinking and that regeneration is about mindset, decision, and context – emphasizing that we need to walk the land and see what the land says.  

Sara Håkanson Maxence from Regenerator gave a strong key message that farmers are key to transformation while emphasizing the need for strong support systems, open access to knowledge, and more collaboration to really make change happen.  

Wilma Lagerman, a student in the Agroecology Master’s programme, shared insights from her recent field research in the Tropical Andes, where she applied the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) developed by the FAO to assess agroecological practices in collaboration with Biosuroeste park in Colombia. She mentioned that the gap can feel quite large between student knowledge and the realities of practitioners working on the ground. However, her experience in Colombia engaging directly with farmers and applying TAPE in a real-world setting helped her bridge that gap. Through her research, she was able to see agroecology as a layered practice shaped by local contexts and daily decision-making. The TAPE tool, she noted, served as a valuable framework for making those layers more visible and easier for both students and practitioners to understand and communicate agroecological systems effectively. 

We also heard from Samuel Amant, founder of KOASTAL, a seaweed farming initiative operating along the archipelago between western Sweden and eastern Denmark. KOASTAL supports the transition from traditional fisheries to sustainable seaweed production by helping local fishers set up, operate, and scale seaweed farms. The initiative also helps aggregate and certify seaweed production to meet the standards of large-scale buyers. Samuel spoke about the importance of a network approach where every part of the value chain involves the people directly affected. His work exemplifies how agroecology can extend beyond land-based systems into marine ecosystems and community-led innovation to shape more resilient and inclusive food systems. 

Even the fika break was full of learning. Participants got to taste cardamon buns made from purple wheat from Plantkaféet at SLU Alnarp, baked by Amapola Bageri. Tomás Castro Rojas from the bakery shared some reflections on consumer responsibility and transparency in food production, encouraging consumers to ask questions about the food.  

In the afternoon, participants enjoyed a sunny visit to Alnarp’s Agroecology Farm with lunch by the open fire, local vendor stalls, a farm tour, and World Café-style discussions –small group dialogues which provided space for diverse voices to connect over pressing questions and promising ideas in agroecology. We discussed regenerative agriculture, aquaculture, management, rural development, cooperation, and entrepreneurship.

Looking ahead: From campus dialogues to continental action 

It was an inspiring day hearing about all the incredible things people are doing across research, farming, food, and regeneration. It was a great reminder that we are part of something bigger and there are already many ongoing efforts bringing people together to transform our food systems.  

This spirit of transformation will continue later this year at a landmark gathering just a short distance from Alnarp. From October 2–4, 2025, Malmö will host the Agroecology Europe Forum 2025, marking the first time the event will be held in the Nordic region. Under the theme “Transformation in Action!”, the forum will bring together changemakers from across Europe to share knowledge, inspire action, and strengthen the agroecology movement. 

The Forum and events like Agroecology Day are good examples of a growing movement. This movement is gaining ground as a unifying framework for sustainable, resilient, and just food systems. As we look ahead, continued connections between academic institutions, researchers, funders, farming communities, and policy networks will be needed now than ever.