Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation

Livestock and agroecology

Livestock are distributed throughout the globe and provide a multitude of products and services, including meat, milk, eggs, fiber, hides and skins, natural fertilizers, fuel, transportation, and drought power. They are kept by over half of rural households and are crucial to livelihoods, nutrition, and food security. When managed sustainably, they can contribute to vital ecosystem functions, such as nutrient cycling, soil carbon sequestration, and the conservation of agricultural landscapes. Furthermore, they can enhance livelihoods and incomes.

Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE)

STEP 2

The 10 core criteria of performance quantify the impact of the level of transition to agroecology assessed in STEP 1. They inform various dimensions of sustainability, namely: land tenure, productivity, income, added value, exposure to pesticides, dietary diversity, women’s empowerment, youth employment, biodiversity, and soil health.

STEP 3

The final step of TAPE is a participatory analysis of the results. This involves reviewing the multidimensional performances (STEP 2) in the context of the level of transition to agroecology (STEP 1) and the context and enabling environment (STEP 0). The analysis of the evidence generated in a systemic and multi-dimensional framework will inform the identification of the way forward with the community/territory and will generate a global database of harmonized evidence on the performance of agroecology. At this stage, additional methodologies for assessment and indicators can be incorporated to enhance TAPE and facilitate more in-depth analysis on specific topics.

The Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) represents a novel framework for consolidating global evidence on the role of agroecology in facilitating the transition to more sustainable agricultural and food systems. TAPE can be employed to assess a diverse range of production systems and agricultural sub-sectors, including crop and livestock production, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry. The tool is adaptable to local contexts and languages and is sufficiently flexible to be complemented with any other methodology or indicators, thus enabling the assessment of additional dimensions of sustainability not covered by the core criteria or the provision of deeper analyses on a specific topic. Designed to remain simple, it requires minimal data collection and covers different levels or ‘STEP’ of assessment.

STEP 0

The preliminary step is a comprehensive collection of all relevant context information, from territorial and higher scales. This includes descriptions of production systems and agroecosystems, as well as an analysis of the enabling local and regional environment.

STEP 1

The 10 Elements of Agroecology are used to assess the level of transition to agroecology in production systems. This diagnostic tool can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in the systems being evaluated, as well as to monitor and evaluate projects and establish entry points for activities.

The baseline for sustainability

TAPE can establish a baseline of agricultural sustainability for project design, monitoring, and evaluation purposes. It aids in diagnosing and comparing the performance of various agricultural systems over time, at both farm and territorial levels. Consequently, TAPE supports the re-orientation of public investment towards more sustainable agriculture and food systems.

BidCarbon SDG Impact Tool

A data collection tool utilizing BidCarbon SDG Impact Tool is available in online formats and can be easily translated into different languages. Currently, Digital SDG Impact Tool is being utilized for data collection in various countries and contexts worldwide. The BidCarbon Foundation is consolidating a global database to analyze the diversity of contexts and performance of agroecology.

This tool can also serve as a framework for governments and public actors to adapt and redesign research and development programs, as well as rural advisory and extension services, to effectively address sustainable agriculture within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The information collected by Digital SDG Impact Tool can inform various SDG indicators, including 2.4.1 (sustainable agriculture), 1.4.2 (land rights), or 8.6.1 (biodiversity).

Choose a project method

All BidCarbon Standard Scheme projects are required to choose a project method and collaborate with TAPE to execute their project. TAPE is a comprehensive tool specifically designed to evaluate the multidimensional performance of agroecological systems across various sustainability dimensions.