B-ACT: BUSINESS AGROECOLOGY CRITERIA TOOL

 Assess your enterprise with the B-ACT and find out about its alignment with the agroecology principles

The Business Agroecology Criteria Tool (B-ACT) is a tool to assess and identify inspiring and promising agroecological enterprises that contribute to sustainable food systems. The extent to which an enterprise ‘inspires’ is reflected in its alignment with the 13 agroecology principles (HLPE, 2019) while the aspect ‘promising’ is reflected in its business model, value-generating activities and scalability. 

*Disclaimer: The tool is still work in progress. In case you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at agroecology@biovision.ch

Get started with the B-ACT

Who is the B-ACT for?

The tool is intended to:

  • inform and sensitize interested donors and investors about the nature and benefits of agroecological enterprises
  • inform and support entrepreneurs on how agroecological their enterprise is and where there is potential for improvement
  • inform other interested stakeholders such as civil society or policy makers interested in learning more about the nature of agroecological enterprises

    • Why should you use the B-ACT?

    The B-ACT provides a holistic enterprise assessment that helps to identify how agroecologically aligned an enterprise is and what its potential is for systemically transforming food systems.

    The evaluation of the B-ACT currently includes:

  • Agroecology Score: measuring the alignment with the 13 agroecological principles
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Alignment: highlights which SDGs the enterprise works towards and to what extent
  • Suggestions for Agroecological Improvement: suggests how an enterprise can improve the lowest scoring agroecology principles
  • Screening questions: identifies any practices and activities which are in direct conflict with the agroecological principles
  • Impact questions*: measures the enterprises impact on carbon, water, biodiversity, soil health, economic and social indicators
  • Systemic potential score: measures the potential of an enterprise to make a systemic impact


    * The impact section of the tool should be considered a first draft of what the impact measurement could look like. It is therefore still the weakest section of the tool and we are always looking for feedback or inputs from others working towards solving similar problems.

    • How to use the B-ACT

    1) Click on the link below to access the B-ACT on Google Sheet
    2) Save a copy of the B-ACT file in order to be able to fill in and use the tool (you will need to have a Google Account in order to do so)
    3) Read the instructions on each page carefully
    4) Fill in each section and get your results!
    5) If you only want to focus on the agroecological alignment of an enterprise you can only fill in the tabs 'Principle Questions' and 'Screening questions' to get your results

    Access the B-ACT

    Agroecology principles

    The tool guides users through a series of questions to identify to what extent each of the thirteen principles of agroecology (HLPE, 2019) are reflected through direct and indirect activities of the enterprise. A very specialized enterprise may also select 'not applicable' for principles, which do not apply to their role in the food system value chain.
    The list of principles has been consolidated by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, building on Nicholls et al. (2016), CIDSE (2018) and FAO (2018). Each principle is related to one of the three organisational principles for sustainable food systems: improve resource efficiency, strengthen resilience or secure social equity (HLPE 2019).

    Overview of the thirteen principles of agroecology and three operational principles of sustainable food systems

    Any questions or feedback?

    Biovision together with Metabolic Ventures has just finalized a new version of the B-ACT, which can be accessed and used on Google sheets. For this version of the tool we have engaged in multiple rounds of user engagement processes to identify the needs of potential user groups. We will also continue to work on the tool, therefore please do not hesitate to contact us for questions or feedback.

    Contact us

    B-ACT Flyer

    Read our flyer summarizing the purpose and goals of the B-ACT.

    Download Flyer
    • CIDSE (Coopération Internationale pour le Développement et la Solidarité) (2018): The principles of
      agroecology. Towards just, resilient and sustainable food sy      stems. Brussels.11 pp.
    • FAO (2018): The 10 elements of agroecology: guiding the transition to sustainable food and agricultural systems.
      Rome.
    • HLPE (2019): Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that
      enhance food security and nutrition. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition
      of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome.
    • Nicholls, C., Altieri, M.A. & Vazquez, L. (2016): Agroecology: principles for the conversion and redesign of
      farming systems. Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography, S5: 010.