Agroecology is a holistic approach to farming that emphasizes sustainability, biodiversity, and the social and economic well-being of farming communities. In Canada, farm organizations play a critical role in advancing this narrative by shaping public perception and supporting farmers in adopting ecological practices. However, despite some notable successes, significant shortcomings and untapped opportunities remain.

I was inspired to write this blog after COP-16 on biodiversity went by almost unnoticed. In particular, organizers wanted to stress the link between Agroecology and biodiversity – and almost no one took them up on publicizing this powerful linkage. Food and farm organizations remained silent on biodiversity, and environmental organizations prioritize conservation. Yet, without raising awareness that food can be produced in way that ENHANCES biodiversity and regenerates vibrancy of ecosystems, we remain locked into the industrial agricultural narrative. This industrial “land sparing” narrative is based on the belief that land can either serve nature OR produce human food, while the agroecological “land sharing” narrative is based on our human capacity to steward land for vibrancy, and orchestrate ecosystems that are synergetic, productive, and diverse.

I added ample material in table form, to offer an overview on relevant organizations and advocacy materials.  For easy navigation, please use the following Table of Content

1. Successes in Building the Agroecology Narrative.
2. A Struggling Local Ecological Food Sector in the Post-COVID Era.
3. Recommendations for Enhancing the Agroecology Narrative.
4. Conclusion.

Appendices

• Agroecology Organizations.
• Conservation organizations can be powerful partners.
• Excellent Advocacy Materials.
  

1.     Successes in Building the Agroecology Narrative

Overview

Farm organizations in Canada have achieved significant milestones in advancing the Agroecology narrative. Their efforts bridge ecological practices with broader societal goals like food sovereignty, climate action, and public health.

• Amplifying Farmer Voices
  Organizations like the National Farmers Union (NFU) and Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) play a vital role in highlighting farmer stories within the Agroecology narrative. Through farmer-led research, reports, and storytelling campaigns, they humanize the challenges and successes of sustainable farming, fostering public understanding and support.
• Policy Advocacy
  Groups such as the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) and Food Secure Canada have successfully linked Agroecology to public policy, advocating for systemic changes that support sustainable farming. These organizations frame Agroecology as a solution to pressing issues like food insecurity and climate change, influencing decision-making at various levels.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration
  Organizations like Équiterre and SeedChange bring together stakeholders from environmental, agricultural, and consumer advocacy sectors, amplifying agroecological principles while connecting them to biodiversity conservation and climate action.
• Community-Based Initiatives
  Local efforts like Roots to Harvest in Thunder Bay focus on food justice and urban agriculture, engaging youth and marginalized communities. Similarly, Circuit Court Distribution demonstrates how shorter food supply chains can directly benefit local communities, making Agroecology accessible and relevant to diverse populations.
• Integration into Institutional Settings
  Farm to Cafeteria Canada connects local, sustainably produced food with schools and healthcare facilities, fostering a culture of Agroecology in public institutions. Their programs help educate consumers from a young age while strengthening local food systems.

The Greenbelt Foundation

The Greenbelt Foundation has been instrumental in promoting Agroecology in Ontario by combining farmland protection, ecological farming initiatives, and public engagement. Its work bridges agricultural sustainability with climate action and biodiversity conservation, offering valuable lessons for advancing Agroecology as a mainstream narrative.

• Farmland Protection and Ecological Practices
  The Greenbelt Foundation has secured over 2 million acres of protected farmland, ensuring these vital spaces remain available for sustainable agricultural practices. By working with policymakers and local stakeholders, the Foundation protects landscapes that support both farming and biodiversity. Programs encouraging cover cropping, rotational grazing, and integrated pest management align with agroecological principles, improving soil health, water retention, and resilience to climate change.
• Supporting Local Food Systems
  The Foundation strengthens Ontario’s local food economy through its Local Food Infrastructure Fund, which has funded critical projects like cold storage facilities, food hubs, and distribution networks. These initiatives reduce food miles and connect farmers with local consumers, showcasing Agroecology as both environmentally and economically viable. Public campaigns like “Buy Local” further enhance consumer awareness, linking purchasing decisions to sustainable farming practices.
• Research and Farmer Education
  Research funded by the Foundation highlights the ecological and economic benefits of Agroecology, providing evidence to inform both policy and practice. Educational initiatives, including workshops and training programs, equip farmers with skills to adopt regenerative techniques, improving pollinator health, water management, and soil fertility. These efforts directly advance the practical application of agroecological farming.
• Urban-Rural Connections
  The Greenbelt Foundation fosters connections between urban communities and rural producers, embedding Agroecology into urban planning. By integrating local food procurement into municipal strategies, the Foundation creates stronger market linkages for ecological farmers. Farm-to-school programs bring sustainably produced food into educational institutions, educating youth about the benefits of local, agroecological food systems.
• Climate Resilience Initiatives
  The Foundation invests in projects that integrate agroecological principles into climate adaptation strategies. Watershed restoration projects involving tree planting and buffer strips reduce erosion and improve water quality. Climate-focused research highlights how Agroecology can help farmers adapt to volatile weather patterns, ensuring the long-term viability of food systems.

Through its integrated approach, the Greenbelt Foundation demonstrates how Agroecology can align with conservation, economic development, and climate resilience. By linking these objectives, it creates a compelling narrative that Agroecology is not just a niche practice but a vital component of sustainable food systems in Ontario.

2.     A Struggling Local Ecological Food Sector in the Post-COVID Era

The post-COVID era has presented significant challenges to local ecological food systems. Consumer priorities, financial dynamics, and the viability of farming as a transformative movement have all been affected. Several local food initiatives, once part of a larger vision for food system change, have either closed, changed ownership, or narrowed their focus to affluent markets, limiting their ability to drive systemic transformation.

Businesses Struggling or Closing

In Ontario, many local food producers are facing reduced demand. CSA waiting lists that were once long are now non-existent. Several key players, including Fresh City Farms, MamaEarth Organics, and The Healthy Butcher, have faced financial difficulties, leading to changes in ownership or ceasing operations altogether. Similarly, the closure of Eat Local Grey Bruce, a cooperative that aimed to make local food accessible across socioeconomic divides, reflects broader struggles where softened demand and rising operational costs have hindered sustainability.

Shifting Consumer Priorities

Rising inflation and economic instability have pushed households to prioritize cost over ecological or ethical concerns. Although some consumers remain committed to sustainable food, purchasing decisions are often inconsistent due to affordability pressures. Additionally, pervasive messaging around “saving money on food” and a broader sense of societal stagnation have reduced consumer engagement in local ecological food systems. A poly-crisis—spanning environmental issues like biodiversity loss and global warming to social challenges like inequality and polarization—has further eroded public agency, making collective action more difficult.

Farmer Challenges and the Drift Toward Elitism

For farmers, rising costs for inputs, labour, and land necessitate higher margins to survive. This financial reality has led many to target affluent consumers with high-margin, artisanal products such as organic micro greens or small-batch cheese. While this shift in strategy ensures business survival, it also moves  local food systems away from inclusiveness and system transformation. For the local food sector at large, elitism creates new challenges:

1. Exclusion of Lower-Income Communities: By catering to wealthy consumers, local food systems reinforce the perception that sustainable food is a luxury rather than a right.
2. Scalability Issues: Elite niche markets cannot address systemic environmental challenges or expand access. Transforming food systems requires widespread adoption of agroecological practices.
3. Happy coexistence with Corporate Agriculture: Instead of challenging industrial, chemical-intensive agriculture, the new contentment with niche markets is creating a parallel system for the food elite while leaving the masses with industrial food. Such coexistence may dilute the potential for large(r)-scale systemic changes.

Niche agroecology is no longer a climate solution

Agroecology and local food systems were initially heralded as integral solutions to climate change due to their ability to transform landscapes, sequester carbon, and restore biodiversity on a meaningful scale. While also offering food that is nutritious, healthy, and supposedly accessible. However, when local food systems accept its elitist niche, they risk losing their transformative potential. Non-scalable, elitist local food no longer focuses on systemic changes to agricultural landscapes or engaging the broader population. Instead, it coexists alongside industrial agriculture, leaving the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and ecological degradation unchallenged. Without strategies to scale these systems or make them accessible to diverse communities, their climate impact is relegated to niche markets. Agroecology thrives when it reshapes entire ecosystems and food systems—something that cannot be achieved when its reach is limited to a small, wealthy audience.

3.     Recommendations for Enhancing the Agroecology Narrative

In the wake of the struggles faced by local ecological food systems in the post-COVID era, the urgency of narrative work has become clear. The mainstream narrative around food has been dominated by industrial efficiency, convenience, and cost, sidelining the transformative potential of agroecology. Without a compelling, unified narrative, local ecological food risks being perceived as niche or elitist, further marginalizing its role in addressing systemic challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Narrative work is essential to recapture public imagination, reframe agroecology as a practical and scalable solution, and inspire broader societal and policy changes. The following recommendations outline how this can be achieved. To promote Agroecology effectively, Canadian farm organizations need to focus on both immediate actions and building long-term narrative infrastructure.

4.     Conclusion

Nature and conservation groups worldwide are increasingly incorporating agroecology into their strategies, recognizing its dual benefits for farming and biodiversity. By collaborating with farmers, these organizations demonstrate that sustainable agriculture and nature protection are not mutually exclusive but deeply interconnected. In the Western context, fostering partnerships between agroecology advocates and conservation groups will be crucial to embedding these principles into mainstream practices.

Appendix 1: Agroecology Organizations

Many organizations already are working in the realm of Agroecology. However, their work remains  fragmented. The following table serves as a starting point:

Appendix 2: Conservation organizations can be powerful partners

Conservation organizations share an interest in biodiversity and living landscapes. Unfortunately, agriculture and food is often treated in separation from nature protection – based on the colonial idea that coexistence between humans and nature is impossible (“Land sparing”). Whereas Agroecology and similar approaches fully embrace the coexistence of humans and nature. They stress human care for ecosystems, and intentional ecosystem design that improves its utility to humans without undermining its ecological functions (“land sharing”). Several conservation organizations are working to bridge this divide, as are summarized in the following table:

Appendix 3: Excellent Advocacy Materials