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Agriculture
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Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems
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Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 5394

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carla Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CETRAD—Centre for Transdisciplinary Development Studies, University of Alto Douro and Trás-os-Montes, Quinta de Prados, Pole II, ECHS, Room 1.14, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Interests: agroecology; agroecological transition; ecosystem services; food systems; impact assessment; sustainable agriculture; transdisciplinary approaches

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agroecology and ecosystem services are deeply interconnected, with agroecological practices playing a crucial role in the sustainable management of agroecosystems. As the global community seeks more sustainable food systems, interest in agroecology has grown significantly, positioning it as a key innovation capable of restoring ecosystem services and enhancing biodiversity. Agroecological transitions are increasingly seen as a pathway not only to improve agricultural sustainability but also to rehabilitate critical ecosystem functions and promote long-term resilience.

However, the agroecological transition is a complex and multidimensional process. It involves social, economic, political, and environmental factors, each presenting unique challenges and trade-offs. A deeper understanding of these dynamics is essential to effectively support agroecological transformations across diverse contexts.

This Special Issue aims to bring together contributions that explore the processes and implications of agroecological transitions, as well as the exchange of knowledge needed to guide sustainable agricultural practices. We invite papers that address the following:

  • Empirical and theoretical studies on agroecological transition processes;
  • Multidisciplinary analyses of the social, economic, environmental, and political dimensions of agroecology;
  • Methodological approaches to assess agroecological transition;
  • Research on knowledge exchange, co-creation, and innovation for sustainable food systems.

Dr. Carla Ferreira
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • agroecology
  • agroecological transition
  • ecosystem services
  • food systems
  • impact assessment
  • sustainable agriculture
  • transdisciplinary approaches

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 922 KB  
Article
The Impact and Driving Mechanism of the “Three Rights Separation” Reform on the Ecological Efficiency of Cultivated Land Use: A Case Study of China
by Weijuan Li, Jinyong Guo and Tian Xie
Agriculture 2026, 16(9), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16091007 - 4 May 2026
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Balancing food security with ecological sustainability is a critical challenge for global agricultural development. This research explores how China’s “three rights separation” reform influences the ecological efficiency of cultivated land use. This institutional innovation separates ownership, contract, and management rights to improve land [...] Read more.
Balancing food security with ecological sustainability is a critical challenge for global agricultural development. This research explores how China’s “three rights separation” reform influences the ecological efficiency of cultivated land use. This institutional innovation separates ownership, contract, and management rights to improve land resource allocation. Utilizing panel data from China spanning from 2005 to 2023, this study employs a super-efficiency SBM model to evaluate ecological efficiency, a continuous difference-in-differences (DID) framework to identify the causal effects of the reform, and a mediation effect model to explore the underlying transmission mechanisms. The results show that the “three rights separation” reform significantly improves the ecological efficiency of cultivated land use, with a regression coefficient of 0.632 that is statistically significant at the 1% level. The findings remain robust across multiple robustness tests. Mechanism analysis reveals distinct hierarchical transmission pathways through the promotion of non-agricultural labor transfer, the optimization of planting structure, and the advancement of agricultural technological progress. Among these pathways, agricultural technological progress emerges as the primary driver. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the positive impact of the reform is more pronounced in non-major grain-producing regions, as well as areas characterized by higher levels of mechanization and land transfer. These results suggest that further deepening land tenure reform is essential, with careful consideration of regional disparities and the mediating role of labor factors, land resource allocation, and technological progress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems)
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27 pages, 664 KB  
Article
Functional Fragmentation as a Structural Determinant of Agricultural Competitiveness: Evidence from the European Union
by Daniel Petrov, Minko Georgiev, Veselin Krustev, Dilyana Boyadzhieva, Vasil Stoychev and Georgi Gopov
Agriculture 2026, 16(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16050493 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 749
Abstract
Agricultural competitiveness across European Union Member States exhibits persistent disparities that cannot be fully explained by technology, climate exposure or institutional quality in isolation. This study examines whether functional fragmentation—defined as the cumulative simultaneity of biological, technological, managerial and institutional production functions—constitutes a [...] Read more.
Agricultural competitiveness across European Union Member States exhibits persistent disparities that cannot be fully explained by technology, climate exposure or institutional quality in isolation. This study examines whether functional fragmentation—defined as the cumulative simultaneity of biological, technological, managerial and institutional production functions—constitutes a structural determinant of competitiveness over the period 2004–2023. Using harmonized country-level data from FAOSTAT, FADN, WDI, WGI and WMO, we construct a composite competitiveness index and a multiplicative fragmentation index and estimate two-way fixed-effects panel models. Functional fragmentation is negatively associated with competitiveness (β = −3.734, p < 0.01). A 10% reduction in fragmentation (ΔFF = −0.042) increases competitiveness by approximately 0.16 index units, corresponding to about 16% of one standard deviation. The interquartile fragmentation gap (ΔFF ≈ 0.18) implies a competitiveness difference of 0.67 units, nearly two-thirds of one standard deviation, indicating economically substantial structural effects. These results indicate that fragmentation primarily shifts the baseline level of performance rather than altering marginal responses to technological intensity or climate shocks. The findings identify functional fragmentation as a structural coordination constraint within EU agriculture and highlight the importance of systemic coherence alongside technological upgrading in competitiveness-oriented policy design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems)
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25 pages, 2755 KB  
Article
Agroecology and Structural Performance of European Tomato Cropping Systems: A TAPE-Informed Cross-Country Analysis
by Roxana Ciceoi, Elena Cofas, Florin-Daniel Nitulescu and Paula Stoicea
Agriculture 2026, 16(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16020263 - 21 Jan 2026
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Tomato production is a strategic horticultural sector in Europe, yet it is increasingly exposed to climate variability, input-price volatility, and structural heterogeneity among national production models. This study provides a macro-level, cross-country assessment to benchmark structural performance and derive country typologies of tomato [...] Read more.
Tomato production is a strategic horticultural sector in Europe, yet it is increasingly exposed to climate variability, input-price volatility, and structural heterogeneity among national production models. This study provides a macro-level, cross-country assessment to benchmark structural performance and derive country typologies of tomato systems in 15 European countries over 2015–2024 using harmonized public statistics on cultivated area, production, and derived yields. A Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE)—informed interpretive lens is used to frame yield level and interannual yield variability as transition-relevant performance signals, while acknowledging that farm- and territory-level TAPE scoring cannot be replicated with aggregated national data. The analysis combines descriptive benchmarking, trend-adjusted yield stability metrics, area–production relationship diagnostics, and multivariate classification (principal component analysis and Ward hierarchical clustering) to identify coherent national performance profiles. Results show pronounced cross-country contrasts and three recurring macro-patterns: (i) high-yield, low-dispersion systems with stable trajectories; (ii) transitional systems with lower yields and broader distributions; and (iii) high-dispersion systems indicating structural or climatic instability. The resulting typology supports differentiated policy discussion on adaptation, modernization priorities, and transition enabling conditions, and highlights the need to link macro-statistics with comparable agroecological indicators at farm and regional scale for stronger inference on transition pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems)
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22 pages, 647 KB  
Article
Drivers and Barriers for Adopting Rice–Fish Farming in the Hau Giang Province of the Mekong Delta
by Thai Huynh Phuong Lan, Tran Xuan Long, Chau Thi Da, Nguyen Thanh Tam and Håkan Berg
Agriculture 2025, 15(23), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15232424 - 25 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1357
Abstract
This study investigates factors that encourage and discourage farmers to adopt rice–fish (RF) farming in the Hau Giang province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A mixed-method approach was employed to collect data, comprising focus group discussions, face-to-face interviews with rice (R) and rice–fish [...] Read more.
This study investigates factors that encourage and discourage farmers to adopt rice–fish (RF) farming in the Hau Giang province in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A mixed-method approach was employed to collect data, comprising focus group discussions, face-to-face interviews with rice (R) and rice–fish (RF) farmers, as well as in-depth interviews with agricultural officers and selected R and RF farmers. Economic benefits are the main motivation for adopting RF farming, but suitable agro-ecological conditions, farm size and access to social networks, technical training, and support from extension officers also positively influence the adoption of RF farming. Environmental and health factors have less impact on farmers’ choice of farming. The study also identifies several barriers to the adoption of RF farming, including spatial, operational, and market barriers. To enhance the adoption of RF farming, policymakers should prioritize promoting RF farming in areas with suitable agro-ecological conditions and implement supportive measures, particularly financial assistance and technical training. Additionally, raising farmers’ awareness of both the economic advantages and long-term ecological benefits of RF farming is essential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems)
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22 pages, 348 KB  
Article
Agroecological Adoption Pathways in Europe: Drivers, Barriers, and Policy Implication Opportunities in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Portugal
by Apolka Ujj, Kinga Nagyné Pércsi, Fernanda Ramos-Diaz, Jana Budimir-Marjanović, Lanka Horstink, Rita Queiroga-Bento, Chisenga Emmanuel Mukosha, Jan Moudrý, Koponicsné Györke Diána and Paulina Jancsovszka
Agriculture 2025, 15(23), 2414; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15232414 - 24 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1254
Abstract
Agroecology offers a transformative pathway toward sustainable food systems by integrating ecological, economic, and social dimensions of farming. While its conceptual and policy foundations are increasingly recognized in European Union (EU) strategies, the practical adoption of agroecological principles at the farm level remains [...] Read more.
Agroecology offers a transformative pathway toward sustainable food systems by integrating ecological, economic, and social dimensions of farming. While its conceptual and policy foundations are increasingly recognized in European Union (EU) strategies, the practical adoption of agroecological principles at the farm level remains uneven, particularly in socio-economically peripheral Member States. This article investigates the enabling and constraining factors of agroecological uptake in three EU countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, and Portugal, using a mixed qualitative approach that combined literature review, policy mapping, and 42 in-depth farmer interviews conducted in 2020–2021. Data were analyzed through a shared coding framework, iterative team discussions, and a standardized comparative matrix to ensure cross-country validity. The results reveal shared barriers, including limited institutional coordination, subsidy dependency, and structural land inequalities, alongside country-specific dynamics such as farmer-to-farmer learning in Portugal, family-farm identity in Czechia, and trust-based advisory relations in Hungary. The findings underscore that systemic constraints, rather than conceptual gaps, impede agroecological transitions, and highlight the need for context-sensitive policy instruments, advisory reforms, and training programs aligned with agroecological principles. The paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical insight into farmer attitudes and practices in Central and Southern Europe and by offering actionable recommendations for designing policies and training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroecological Transition in Sustainable Food Systems)
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