Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Performance in Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: The Role of Climate Change and Innovation Policy
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 886
Special Issue Editors
Interests: agri-food business; climate change adaptation and mitigation; agri-technology; sustainability
Interests: leadership issues and challenges; OB; employee wellbeing; gender and sustainability
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Considering the growing challenges posed by climate change, the global agri-food system faces significant pressure to adapt (Jellason et al., 2021a, 2022). Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, and the degradation of natural resources are already impacting crop yields, food security, and farmer livelihoods (Fonta et al., 2011). This necessitates a shift toward more sustainable agricultural practices that can mitigate environmental damage while ensuring food system resilience.
Innovation policy plays a pivotal role in driving this transformation in food systems (Schot and Steinmueller, 2018; Béné, 2022). Through research, technological advancements, and the adoption of sustainable farming practices, such policies can help create more efficient, climate-resilient agricultural systems (Srivastav et al., 2021). From precision agriculture (Jellason et al., 2021b) and biotechnology to renewable energy use and water conservation techniques, innovation is key to reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint and promoting sustainable development (Ashraf et al., 2021).
Moreover, while the agri-food sector's economic growth can drive innovation and efficiency, it can also strain natural resources and contribute to environmental degradation. Therefore, achieving economic growth in this sector requires sustainable practices and technologies. Environmental performance focuses on reducing the ecological impact of agricultural activities through practices such as improving soil health and lowering emissions (Kayani et al., 2024).
This Special Issue focuses on examining the critical intersection of environmental sustainability and policy innovation, while aiming to identify strategies which align economic objectives with environmental goals for a more sustainable agri-food system.
Dr. Nugun Jellason
Dr. Roohi Imtiaz
Dr. Gbemisola Ogbolu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- climate change
- innovation policy
- agri-food system
- technology advancement
- sustainable practices
- system transformation
- smallholder farmers
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