Agro-Ecosystem Approaches to Sustainable Land Use and Food Security

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite contributions to this Special Issue of Sustainability on “Agro-Ecosystem Approaches to Sustainable Land Use and Food Security,” that advance understanding and innovation in how agro-ecosystems can be designed, managed, and transformed to support sustainable development. Ponetial contributors should approach the topic with an understanding that the accelerating pressures of climate change, population growth, urbanization, and biodiversity loss have placed land resources and food systems under increasing stress. Also, ensuring long-term food security while preventing soil degradation, protecting ecosystem services, and supporting rural and peri-urban livelihoods requires integrated approaches that consider ecological, socio-economic, and governance dimensions. It that vision, the purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for advancing knowledge and sharing evidence-based strategies for sustainable land use that contribute directly to improving food security. The Special Issue seeks to support dialog among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community actors, fostering approaches that are ecologically grounded, economically viable, and socially equitable.

The Special Issue focuses on agro-ecosystem approaches that enhance the multifunctionality of land use systems, including sustainable farming practices, nature-based solutions, integrated landscape management, and diversified production systems. We aim to highlight methods that strengthen resilience, reduce vulnerability to shocks (such as climate extremes and market instability), enhance nutrient and carbon cycles, preserve biodiversity, and maintain or improve yields over time. We welcome interdisciplinary research integrating ecological science, agronomy, sustainability assessment, socio-economic analysis, policy studies, and stakeholder engagement. Contributions may include empirical case studies, theoretical frameworks, participatory research, decision-support tools, and evaluations of policies and governance arrangements. Studies addressing both rural and urban/peri-urban agro-ecosystems are encouraged, particularly where they reveal insights into land use trade-offs, circular resource flows, and food system resilience.

While the existing literature offers a wide range of analyses on sustainable agriculture and land use, it often remains fragmented between ecological, economic, and policy perspectives. This Special Issue contributes by bringing these dimensions together, emphasizing integrated sustainability assessment, practical measurement and monitoring tools, and implementation pathways. By aligning with Sustainability’s mission, the Special Issue centers on applied solutions and actionable insights that can inform policy development (e.g., the EU’s Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and SDGs 2, 13, and 15), guide sustainable land management, and support transitions toward resilient food systems. 

Prof. Dr. Horațiu Felix Arion
Dr. Iulia D. Arion
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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.

• agro-ecosystems
• sustainable land use
• food security
• climate resilience
• biodiversity conservation
• soil health
• integrated landscape management
• sustainable agriculture
• circular food systems
• socio-ecological transitions