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Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2026) | Viewed by 15434

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin

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Guest Editor

1. Professorship for Development Economics and Policy, University of the Bundeswehr, 85577 Neubiberg, Germany
2. Aglobe Development Center, Lagos 100275, Nigeria
Interests: conservation agriculture; sustainable development; aquaculture; agroforestry innovation adoption; women and youth empowerment; payment for ecosystem services; carbon accounting; integrated pest management; climate change; human security; development economics; aquaculture economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Gertrud Buchenrieder

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Guest Editor

Professorship for Development Economics and Policy, University of the Bundeswehr, 85577 Neubiberg, Germany
Interests: poverty analysis; development studies; rural development; economic analysis; impact assessment; governance; social capital; rural livelihoods; sustainable rural development; financial services; development economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With currently used agricultural, aquaculture, and livestock practices, characterized by intensive tillage, monoculture, the widespread use of inorganic chemicals, and limited nutritional management, effluent discharge is significantly degrading natural resources, including soil, water, air, the climate, and biodiversity. For instance, global land degradation from aforementioned practices affects over 1.9 billion hectares and imposes an annual cost of up to USD 20 million, affecting two billion people. As the global population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the challenge lies in feeding this growing population while preserving the environment. To address global poverty, hunger, and human insecurity, there is a critical need to increase agricultural and livestock productivity without compromising the well-being of future generations. This necessitates a shift towards regenerative agro-ecosystems, particularly through innovative technologies, sustainable intensification, and animal production, marking a paradigm shift from conventional agriculture towards practices with positive or neutral ecological, socioeconomic, and environmental outcomes.

The journal Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050, IF 3.3) is currently running a Special Issue titled" Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future". Sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, and livestock practices are vital for building a resilient food supply chain. These practices protect the environment by reducing degradation and pollution, optimizing resource use for long-term productivity, and ensuring economic viability by promoting adaptable, cost-effective methods. Furthermore, they contribute to food security by enhancing the health and stability of crops, fish, and livestock, while supporting social well-being by improving livelihoods and nutrition. Additionally, they help mitigate climate change and enhance the resilience of food systems to climate-related stresses, ensuring sustainable food production for future generations. Given your research interests and excellent publication record, we would like to invite you to contribute your recent research work to this Special Issue.

The aim of this Special Issue on sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, and livestock practices is to explore and highlight innovative approaches that promote environmental protection, resource efficiency, and economic viability in food production systems. This issue seeks to present research and case studies that demonstrate how these sustainable practices can enhance food security, improve social well-being, and build resilience against climate change and other challenges. It aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on resilience and ways of enhancing future supply chains by providing insights and solutions that support the transition towards sustainable systems. This aligns with the scope of the journal on land and aquatic ecosystems maintenance, biodiversity preservation, and applications of sustainability.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but need not be limited to) the following:

Climate-smart agriculture;
Climate-smart aquaculture;
Sustainable fisheries;
Organic farming;
Agroforestry;
Integrated pest management (IPM);
Innovation and technologies;
Agribusiness;
Sustainable livestock production.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin
Prof. Dr. Gertrud Buchenrieder
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 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. 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.

Keywords

precision agriculture
innovation and technology
artificial intelligence (AI)
impact assessment
food policy

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1128 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multivariate Water Quality Patterns as a Proxy for Environmental Performance in Tropical Pond-Based Aquaculture Systems

by Carlos Ricardo Delgado-Villafuerte, Ana Gonzalez-Martinez, Fabian Peñarrieta-Macias, Cecilio Barba and Antón García

Sustainability 2026, 18(7), 3309; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073309 - 28 Mar 2026

Abstract

Water quality plays a central role in determining the environmental performance of pond-based tropical aquaculture systems. This study aimed to evaluate the relative environmental performance of different tropical pond-based aquaculture systems by identifying multivariate water quality patterns that allow their discrimination and comparison under commercial production conditions. Four pond-based production systems were evaluated: an aquaponic system (APS), a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), a conventional earthen pond system (CEP), and an integrated rice–chame system (RCS). Fourteen physicochemical water quality variables were monitored throughout the production cycle under real commercial conditions using a comparative observational design. Multivariate discriminant analysis was applied to identify the variables with the highest discriminatory power and evaluate the ability of water quality patterns to correctly classify observations among production systems. The results revealed a clear multivariate separation between technologically intensive systems (APS and RAS) and less intensive and integrated systems (CEP and RCS), reflecting distinct water quality structures and environmental functioning. Variables associated with mineralization and nutrient dynamics, including electrical conductivity, dissolved solids, turbidity, phosphates, chlorides, dissolved oxygen, nitrites, and temperature, contributed most strongly to system discrimination. The discriminant functions achieved a high overall correct classification rate, demonstrating the robustness of the multivariate approach. These findings support the use of water quality variables as consistent environmental signatures for distinguishing tropical pond-based aquaculture systems, providing an operational framework for assessing their relative environmental performance. Discriminant analysis emerges as a valuable tool for system characterization and comparative evaluation, supporting environmentally informed management and optimization of chame aquaculture under tropical conditions. Although water quality represents a robust integrative indicator, it captures only one dimension of environmental performance, and additional factors such as production efficiency, energy use, and effluent characterization should be incorporated in future studies to achieve a comprehensive sustainability assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

24 pages, 4011 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Early Potato Yield Components

by Zorana Srećkov, Vesna Vasić, Anđelko Mišković, Vuk Vujasinović, Maja Radišić, Mladen Radišić and Gordana Racić

Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 4070; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094070 - 30 Apr 2025

Viewed by 2024

Abstract

Soil and plant covering methods offer sustainable agricultural benefits by improving soil health, water use efficiency, and reducing chemical inputs. A three-year split-plot experiment (2019–2021) evaluated the impact of various covering techniques on early potato production using two varieties (Cleopatra and Riviera). Treatments included control, plastic mulch, agrotextile, low tunnels, and their combinations. The study assessed stem number, number of tubers per plant (including per stem), average tuber mass, tuber mass per plant, and tuber yield. Results demonstrate the significant positive impact of covering methods on early potato yield. The combination of agrotextile and low tunnels resulted in the highest increases, improving key yield components like tuber number and mass per plant. While varietal differences existed, the covering methods’ influence was paramount. These findings offer a basis for optimizing early potato production for higher yields and quality. Future research should investigate the economic viability of these methods and explore organic alternatives to plastic coverings for sustainable agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

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25 pages, 2307 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Goat Farming in Southeastern Tunisia: Challenges and Opportunities for Profitability

by Rihab Day, Aziza Mohamed-Brahmi, Fatma Aribi and Mohamed Jaouad

Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3669; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083669 - 18 Apr 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5535

Abstract

Goat farming represents a critical component of rural livelihoods, food security, and cultural heritage in southeastern Tunisia. This study adopts a multi-stakeholder approach to analyze the goat value chain in Tataouine, incorporating focus groups, semi-structured questionnaires, and direct observations with 80 farmers, 3 veterinarians, 13 butchers, and 100 consumers. The findings reveal strong local demand, with 72% of consumers purchasing goat meat and 66% consuming milk. However, significant inefficiencies exist, particularly a misalignment between production and market requirements: while 92% of butchers prefer fattened animals, only 16% of farmers engage in fattening practices. Women constitute 49% of dairy processors, yet face persistent resource constraints. Climate pressures exacerbate these challenges, with 80% of farmers reporting water scarcity and 93.8% observing pasture degradation. Three strategic interventions emerge as pivotal for sustainable development: targeted support for feed-efficient fattening techniques, establishment of women-led dairy processing collectives, and implementation of climate-resilient water management systems. These measures address core constraints while leveraging existing strengths of the production system. The study presents a transferable framework for livestock value chain analysis in arid regions, demonstrating how integrated approaches can enhance both economic viability and adaptive capacity while preserving traditional pastoral systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

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19 pages, 2661 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Technical Efficiency and Resilience of Rwandan Smallholder Farmers Participating in Small-Scale Irrigation Schemes

by Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin, Alexander Lotz, Oreoluwa Ola and Gertrud Rosa Buchenrieder

Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1925; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051925 - 24 Feb 2025

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1531

Abstract

In a number of developing countries, low productivity and technical inefficiency, with climate change looming in the background, remain a severe challenge for the agricultural sector, especially smallholder farmers. To enhance smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in terms of agricultural productivity while mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, improving technical efficiency in a sustainable manner is a promising option. One possible alternative is the use of solar-powered small-scale irrigation systems in areas vulnerable to climate change to ensure sufficient access to water. This study uses stochastic frontier analysis to analyze technical efficiency and its determinants among smallholder farmers who benefit from a solar-powered small-scale irrigation scheme in Gitaraga, Bugesera District, Rwanda. Similar smallholders from a neighboring village, who were not participating in the irrigation scheme, represent the control group. The results suggest that inputs such as land, water, and labor are positively correlated to agricultural productivity. Farmers participating in the irrigation scheme are 31.2 percentage points more technically efficient compared to non-participants, despite similar climatic conditions. Thus, relaxing the water constraint on arable land will increase agricultural productivity. Explanatory inefficiency determinants include years of farming experience and market access. Subsequently, policy makers should continue to support programs that improve smallholder access to sustainable irrigation schemes, other infrastructure, extension services, and upstream value chains, as well as markets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

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22 pages, 490 KB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Tilapia Productivity in Geothermal Ponds: A Genetic Algorithm Approach for Sustainable Aquaculture Practices

by Vadim Tynchenko, Oksana Kukartseva, Yadviga Tynchenko, Vladislav Kukartsev, Tatyana Panfilova, Kirill Kravtsov, Xiaogang Wu and Ivan Malashin

Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9276; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219276 - 25 Oct 2024

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4045

Abstract

This study presents a case focused on sustainable farming practices, specifically the cultivation of tilapia (Mozambican and aureus species) in ponds with geothermal water. This research aims to optimize the hydrochemical regime of experimental ponds to enhance the growth metrics and external characteristics of tilapia breeders. The dataset encompasses the hydrochemical parameters and the fish feeding base from experimental geothermal ponds where tilapia were cultivated. Genetic algorithms (GA) were employed for hyperparameter optimization (HPO) of deep neural networks (DNN) to enhance the prediction of fish productivity in each pond under varying conditions, achieving an

R^{2}

score of 0.94. This GA-driven HPO process is a robust method for optimizing aquaculture practices by accurately predicting how different pond conditions and feed bases influence the productivity of tilapia. By accurately determining these factors, the model promotes sustainable practices, improving breeding outcomes and maximizing productivity in tilapia aquaculture. This approach can also be applied to other aquaculture systems, enhancing efficiency and sustainability across various species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

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Review

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19 pages, 299 KB

Open AccessReview

Carbon Footprints in the Production of Animal Products in the Context of the Obligation to Report It

by Hanna Spasowska, Kamil Woźnica, Jerzy Lilia, Olgirda Belova, Kamil Drabik and Justyna Batkowska

Sustainability 2026, 18(7), 3253; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073253 - 26 Mar 2026

Viewed by 274

Abstract

The aim of the paper was to analyse the genesis of the idea of carbon footprint (CF) reporting, the current EU regulations in force in this regard, and to provide a concrete example of practical measures in poultry production. The CF is the total sum of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated directly or indirectly by an organisation, product, service, event or human activity, expressed as a CO₂ equivalent. Livestock production accounts for 12% to 14.5% of global methane and nitrous oxide emissions. GHG emissions from livestock production are closely linked to the species of animals; the highest CF values apply to products derived from ruminants, but poultry is also considered an environmental threat, inter alia due to the production scale. The CF of poultry production is not uniform and depends on many factors, including the farm location and climatic conditions of the region, the profile of production, its stage, the birds feeding and CF method of analysis. Industrial development is a continuous process that must align with the principles of sustainability and EU climate policy; therefore, it is necessary to look for and implement solutions to reduce its emissions in line with evolving European legal standards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

Other

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28 pages, 2461 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Sustainable Transformation Pathways in Tropical Beef Systems: A Global Scoping Review (2019–2025) with Insights from Indonesia

by Wibisono Chandra, Nunung Nuryartono, Yandra Arkeman and Zenal Asikin

Sustainability 2025, 17(24), 11252; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172411252 - 16 Dec 2025

Viewed by 748

Abstract

Indonesia’s beef cattle sector plays a central role in achieving food security, enhancing rural livelihoods, and fostering economic resilience. However, it faces fragmented governance, import dependence, and persistent challenges of low productivity levels. To capture the evolving evidence base, this study conducted a scoping review of 61 peer-reviewed publications (2019–2025) drawn from six major databases. This study employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review Protocol and Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Key patterns, advances, and gaps, along with evidence and research recommendations, were identified using the PAGER analytical approach. The dominant themes include production efficiency, environmental sustainability, policy, market linkages, and technological innovation. The results show that most studies employed quantitative or system modelling designs. In the global literature, multidimensional sustainability frameworks have shifted away from production-centric ones, with regional studies highlighting different emphases, such as carbon metrics in South America and market access and livelihood resilience in Asia and Africa. Integrated crop, livestock, and forestry systems; legume-based nutrient management; genotype-specific feeding and breeding; and enabling policies within inclusive markets were revealed through the synthesis of the PAGER framework as four calculated levers for sustainable transformation. However, actors inadequately integrate feed, genetic, climate interactions, and governance mechanisms. According to this review, technological innovation must align with adaptive governance. Climate-resilient, low-carbon beef systems also require the development of inclusive institutional frameworks. Indonesia’s experience demonstrates the benefits of integrating science, policy, and the market to improve productivity, resource stewardship, and equity in tropical livestock systems, thereby enhancing a resilient agri-food supply chain in Indonesia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agriculture, Aquaculture and Livestock Practices: Enhancing Food Supply Chains for a Resilient Future)

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