This paper presents a literature review on agroecology, which focuses as a starting point to promote innovative development processes in rural areas. However, agroecology by itself is not enough to face the complex social and environmental dynamics present in rural areas. The evolution of agroecology, as an interdisciplinary science, makes it an ideal tool to identify the ecological and environmental bases of sustainable socioeconomic development. Agroecology integrates various disciplines in a new theoretical and methodological approach to sustainable agriculture, which recognizes traditional wisdom and strengthens family farming, making it more productive, intensifying biological cycles in nature, empowering farmers, and generating greater citizen awareness in favor of fundamental rights such as food and a healthy environment. Keywords: agroecology, food, environment, rural area.El presente trabajo presenta una revisión bibliográfica sobre la agroecología, la cual se centra como punto de partida para promover procesos innovativos de desarrollo en las zonas rurales. Sin embargo, la agroecología por sí sola no es suficiente para enfrentar la compleja dinámica social y ambiental presente en las áreas rurales.  La evolución de la agroecología, como una ciencia interdisciplinaria la convierte en una herramienta ideal para identificar las bases ecológicas y ambientales de un desarrollo socioeconómico sostenible. La agroecología integra diversas disciplinas en un nuevo enfoque teórico y metodológico para una agricultura sustentable, que reconoce las sabidurías tradicionales y fortalece la agricultura familiar haciéndola más productiva, intensificando los ciclos biológicos en la naturaleza, empoderando a los agricultores, y generando mayor conciencia ciudadana en favor de derechos fundamentales como la alimentación y el medio ambiente sano. Palabras clave: agroecología, alimentación, ambiente, zona rural. Abstract This paper presents a literature review on agroecology, which focuses as a starting point to promote innovative development processes in rural areas. However, agroecology by itself is not enough to face the complex social and environmental dynamics present in rural areas. The evolution of agroecology, as an interdisciplinary science, makes it an ideal tool to identify the ecological and environmental bases of sustainable socioeconomic development. Agroecology integrates various disciplines in a new theoretical and methodological approach to sustainable agriculture, which recognizes traditional wisdom and strengthens family farming, making it more productive, intensifying biological cycles in nature, empowering farmers, and generating greater citizen awareness in favor of fundamental rights such as food and a healthy environment. Keywords: agroecology, food, environment, rural area. Fecha de recepción: 26 de octubre de 2020; Fecha de aceptación: 22 de diciembre de 2020; Fecha de publicación: 08 de enero del 2021.