Multifunctional dimensions of ecologically-based agriculture in Latin America

Today in Latin America there are still regions with microcosms of traditional farming systems, (i.e. in Mesoamerica, the Andean region, and the Amazon Basin) that have emerged over centuries of cultural and biological evolution. These are based on locally available resources and the cultivation of a diversity of crops and varieties in time and space, and have allowed traditional farmers to maximize harvest security and the multiple use of the landscape with limited environmental impact. Agro-biodiverse traditional agroecosystems represent a strategy which ensures diverse diets and income sources, stable production, minimum risk, efficient use of land resources, and enhanced ecological integrity. This legacy of traditional agriculture demonstrates that the combination of stable and diverse production, internally generated and maintainable inputs, favourable energy input/output ratios, and articulation with both subsistence and market needs, comprises an effective approach to achieve food security, income generation, and environmental conservation. Traditional approaches represent multiple use strategies that enhance the multifunctional nature of agriculture, an important feature for the health of rural regions in the next century.