Agroecosystems in the Colombian Amazon: an assessment of their socioecological attributes using the Main Agroecological Structure framework

Sustainable food systems consistently provide nutritious, secure, and affordable food while maintaining the environmental and social basis that supports them – namely healthy ecosystems and rural livelihoods. Using the Main Agroecology Structure (MAS) framework and combining qualitative and participatory methods, social cartography and landscape metrics, this study examines sustainability in Amazon agroecosystems in the department of Caquetá, Colombia. Our results show that, despite the homogenization in livestock systems resulting from the development and settlement processes in the region, agroecosystems continue to include diverse food crops for both self-consumption and commercialization. The ecological dimensions of agroecosystems (e.g. internal and external ecological connections) need improvement, even though stakeholders demonstrate a high level of environmental awareness, acknowledge the role of biodiversity, and are actively working to implement sustainable practices. Current interventions largely emphasize productivity increases; however, sustainability incentives should be guided by a more comprehensive understanding of agroecosystem performance – one that integrates biodiversity conservation, food security, and adaptation and mitigation to climate change.