Agroecology for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Critical Perspective on Development

This article advances a structured dialogue between the two frameworks of agroecology and disaster risk reduction (DRR), often treated as parallel, highlighting their convergencies and divergences, as well as their potential mutual contributions. We argue that agroecology can contribute to deepen the political perspective of DRR, advancing a transformative approach that challenges colonial legacies of development and enhances territorial resilience when confronting natural and/or anthropogenic hazards. On the other hand, DRR can help agroecology to consolidate a multi-hazard perspective and effective community-based strategies in the face of disasters. To illustrate this connection empirically, we present a case study from the Central Coast of Ecuador, where agroecological systems were implemented to promote post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, adopting a DRR perspective. The paper contributes to academic debate and public policy formulation, proposing critical development approaches grounded in territorial priorities, participatory processes, and local knowledge towards socio-ecological equilibria.