Recent efforts to promote a new “Green Revolution” in Africa have focused on productivity, the ‘yield gap’ and linking African farmers to global markets. Agroecology offers a viable alternative to this approach which has potential benefits for biodiversity and climate change adaptation. Key questions remain, however, of knowledge gaps and equity in agroecology, including gender inequalities.  In this presentation Dr. Bezner Kerr will examine the evidence from long-term research on agroecological alternatives being applied by farmers in Malawi and Tanzania. Using survey data, interviews and field observations with smallholder farmers who are using agroecological methods, she will then examine some of the challenges, contradictions and tensions related to agroecological approaches. She argues that key aspects related to re-building ecological knowledge in communities, and addressing gender and other inequities must be addressed if these approaches are to have positive impacts on food security, health and community resilience. [come anytime after 10am for refreshments]