Abstract
This Special Issue of Sustainability aims at compiling original theoretical, methodological, and empirical research exploring how agroecology approaches can promote the transition towards sustainability, particularly of agri-food social-ecological systems, taking into account the complex relationships established between ecological functions and ecosystem services, human wellbeing, innovative socio-technical innovations, and governance models as well as public policies. In this editorial, we carry out an overview of the 17 contributions that shape this number, around five main themes: Agroecological practices that enhance ecosystem services, the potential of agroecology to promote social learning and innovation, gender and feminist perspectives in agroecology, the political articulation of agroecology, and public policies and the institutionalization of agroecology. Finally, we reflect about suggested guidelines for agroecology research that truly aims at supporting the transition towards strong social-ecological sustainability, we then deepen on the main gaps revealed by the research works presented. Finally, we conclude with the insights provided by agroecology within the transition towards social-ecological sustainability.
Highlights
Academics, practitioners, and activists have been discussing in recent decades how an increasing population can be fed in a social-ecologically sustainable and equitable way [1]
Received: 6 August 2019; Accepted: 7 August 2019; Published: 13 August 2019. This Special Issue of Sustainability aims at compiling original theoretical, methodological, and empirical research exploring how agroecology approaches can promote the transition towards sustainability, of agri-food social-ecological systems, taking into account the complex relationships established between ecological functions and ecosystem services, human wellbeing, innovative socio-technical innovations, and governance models as well as public policies
We carry out an overview of the 17 contributions that shape this number, around five main themes: Agroecological practices that enhance ecosystem services, the potential of agroecology to promote social learning and innovation, gender and feminist perspectives in agroecology, the political articulation of agroecology, and public policies and the institutionalization of agroecology
Summary
Practitioners, and activists have been discussing in recent decades how an increasing population can be fed in a social-ecologically sustainable and equitable way [1]. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has started an initiative called “Scaling up Agroecology” with the idea to study the potential of agroecology to contribute to the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), considering three main areas of work: (1) knowledge and innovation for sustainable food and agricultural systems (through scientific evidence and local experiences), (2) policy processes for transformation of food and agricultural systems, (3) building social and institutional connections for transformative change to promote dialogue and collaboration between agents [13] Despite such recognition, to date, agroecology has not gained enough strength as a scientific discipline and its application in agrarian, rural, and landscape planning and food policies is still limited [14]. We conclude with the insights provided by agroecology within the transition towards social-ecological sustainability
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