Agroecology in West Africa: the pathway towards a sustainable transition of agri-food systems? A review

Abstract

This article reviews the state of the art on the potential of agroecology to contribute to the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems in West Africa. Data were retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar and grey literature. The 484 publications reviewed span the last 25 years, focusing primarily on West Africa, while selected studies from other regions were included where relevant to the analysis. Over the past two decades, agroecology has gained a growing interest in different scientific fields, and is increasingly discussed as an alternative approach to conventional agricultural models. The reviewed evidence suggests that several agroecological practices are rooted in local knowledge and may contribute to addressing some of the environmental and food-systems challenges facing the region. However, the nature and the magnitude of these contributions remain context-dependent and unevenly documented across the region. Existing studies point to potential benefits for agricultural resilience, food security and nutrition, biodiversity, socioeconomic viability, human values, but the available evidence remains insufficient to highlight the potential of agroecology for food systems transformation. Scaling up agroecology is further constrained by interrelated challenges, including limited training and advisory services, restricted access to inputs and markets, and policy support. In many regions, research on agroecology has covered only a limited range of topics, highlighting the need for more context-specific and multidimensional science. Future studies should investigate the conditions under which agroecological transitions are most likely to succeed, including the interactions among policy support, training, resource access, markets, and economic incentives. Greater attention is also needed to its socioeconomic viability and to the development of locally adapted advisory and support services.