Agroecology and Sustainable Livelihoods: Towards an Integrated Approach to Rural Development

Agroecology and SL studies are multi-disciplinary development schools that investigate the contexts and struggles of the rural poor in making a living under various adverse conditions. Both schools have made critical strides in rural development by promoting people-centered approaches. However, these two vital approaches to rural development have cut across each other based solely upon a loose combination of relevant elements derived from each of them. This paper argues that not only the shared spectrums but also the divergent interests between agroecology and SL studies signify the potential for beneficial cross-fertilization. With this conception, this paper tries to make conceptual and methodological syntheses between agroecology and SL studies as an integrated approach to rural development. The attempt results in a stylized model of modified SL framework with an eclectic set of new concepts. It is hoped that critical discussions on the possibility of integration between agroecology and SL studies would open up innovative arenas in the studies of sustainable agriculture and rural development.