Biodiversity and agroecology: Defending life against agribusiness

The document positions agrobiodiversity and agroecology as critical tools for climate adaptation and the preservation of life. It critiques the industrial food system, noting its role in global deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, and highlights the loss of agricultural genetic diversity. Through examples in Costa Rica and Mozambique, it illustrates the conflict between corporate monocultures and community-led sustainable practices, ultimately calling for public policies that guarantee food sovereignty and support peasant-led agriculture.

• The industrial agro-industrial model is a primary driver of biodiversity loss and the climate crisis, with estimates suggesting it is responsible for 44% to 57% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Agricultural expansion and the shift toward commercial and genetically modified crops have caused severe genetic erosion, with nearly 75% of agricultural genetic diversity lost over the last century.
• Agroecology serves as a sustainable alternative that reduces CO2 emissions by utilizing local markets and short distribution chains, while enhancing carbon storage by restoring soil organic matter.
• In Costa Rica, pineapple monocultures have disrupted local agroecosystems, decimated wildlife habitats, and increased community vulnerability to extreme weather events such as floods, pests, and droughts.
• Community forest management and agroecology in the Mabu forest of Mozambique demonstrate a successful model of defending territory against industrial rubber monocultures to preserve fertile soils and water resources.

APA

Porras, M., Nogueiras, I., Marien, N., Fandel, G., & Ronsain, O. (2025). Biodiversity and agroecology: Defending life against agribusiness. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FOEI_Agriculture-and-Biodiversity_EN_v3.pdf

Chicago

Porras, Mariana, Inés Nogueiras, Nele Marien, Ghislaine Fandel, and Olivia Ronsain. Biodiversity and agroecology: Defending life against agribusiness. Friends of the Earth International, 2025. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FOEI_Agriculture-and-Biodiversity_EN_v3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Porras |first1=Mariana |last2=Nogueiras |first2=Inés |last3=Marien |first3=Nele |last4=Fandel |first4=Ghislaine |last5=Ronsain |first5=Olivia |title=Biodiversity and agroecology: Defending life against agribusiness |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=September 2025 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FOEI_Agriculture-and-Biodiversity_EN_v3.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{porras2025biodiversity, author = {Porras, Mariana and Nogueiras, Inés and Marien, Nele and Fandel, Ghislaine and Ronsain, Olivia}, title = {{Biodiversity and agroecology: Defending life against agribusiness}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FOEI_Agriculture-and-Biodiversity_EN_v3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }