Abstract
Abstract Are agricultural economists losing their relevance and significance in research on sustainable food systems? Could the world thrive without the contribution of agricultural economists? How could agricultural economists have more impact in addressing the grand challenges of our time? In this paper we address these questions by reflecting on the field of agricultural economics and re-examining the role and impact of agricultural economists. We argue that agricultural economists could raise their impact through better collaboration with other disciplines, stakeholder engagement and the adoption of a more systematic approach to the grand challenges, the innovation pathways and their disrupting developments in the data economy. We outline key topics in the economics of food systems on which agricultural economists could make major contributions and key areas in which methodological innovations are needed.
Highlights
Thousands of research articles have been published on sustainable food systems in the past 5 years
Are agricultural economists losing their relevance and significance in research on sustainable food systems? Could the world thrive without the contribution of agricultural economists? How could agricultural economists have more impact in addressing the grand challenges of our time? In this paper we address these questions by reflecting on the field of agricultural economics and re-examining the role and impact of agricultural economists
We argue that agricultural economists could raise their impact through better collaboration with other disciplines, stakeholder engagement and the adoption of a more systematic approach to the grand challenges, the innovation pathways and their disrupting developments in the data economy
Summary
Thousands of research articles have been published on sustainable food systems in the past 5 years Is it clear where agricultural economists stand? Are agricultural economists losing their relevance and significance in research on sustainable food systems? We argue that agricultural economists could raise their impact by focusing on the major global challenges from a food systems perspective, taking a more integrative approach to supporting the transformations needed. This includes the use of more multi- and transdisciplinary approaches. There are innovation pathways with new technologies and social practices (Section 3) These ask for a food systems approach that entails transformation of existing systems and redesign of the system. The paper ends with the conclusion that agricultural economists should transform into such a kind of food system economists in order to stay relevant
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