Socio-Economic Transformation and Sustainable Development of Rural Areas Within Agricultural Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Rural areas and agricultural systems are undergoing profound socio-economic transformations driven by environmental pressures, technological innovation, market restructuring, demographic change, and evolving policy frameworks. In many contexts, the agricultural sector is shifting from small-scale and family-based farming systems toward larger and more diversified business models. This transformation creates new opportunities for income diversification, the adoption of digital and bio-based solutions, the development of alternative local agri-food models, and the emergence of new sources of value within rural economies. At the same time, it raises important questions regarding inclusion, social cohesion, quality of life, and the well-being of farmers, rural entrepreneurs, and local communities.

This Special Issue, titled “Socio-Economic Transformation and Sustainable Development of Rural Areas Within Agricultural Systems”, seeks contributions that explore how rural areas can navigate these changes while promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development. We particularly welcome research addressing the bioeconomy transition, sustainable growth, rural development policies, the role of the Common Agricultural Policy and other policy instruments, including AKIS interventions, and strategies to support small farmers and local actors in sustainability transitions.

Original research articles, reviews, case studies, and comparative analyses are welcome. Contributions may adopt quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches and are encouraged to include social indicators, policy evaluations, and multidisciplinary perspectives on the transformation of agricultural systems and the quality of life in rural areas.

Dr. Francesca Giare
Guest Editor

Dr. Francesco Basset
Guest Editor Assistant

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-anonymized 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.