Human, Cultural, Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions for a New Vision of the Sustainable Agro-Food System Post COVID-19

Dear Colleagues,

In the current global health emergency, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the central role played by the food supply chain in human society is even more evident. Thus, it is crucial to rethink the agro-food system and develop a new model that focuses more on the human, cultural, environmental, and socio-political dimensions for facing an emergency like this in the future.

In this context, the Future Food Institute of Bologna (Italy) has developed a virtual toolbox, namely Food for Earth, that can be used as a “compass” for orienting the analysis of the critical and essential innovative elements that need to be reconsidered for a new agro-food system. These elements are climate-smart ecosystems, circular living, food identity, food diplomacy, and prosperity, in line with the 2030 Agenda’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). The agro-food system is surely transversal to the whole SDG framework, specifically for food security and nutritional diversity, cultural diversity, ecological long-term stability, and climate-smart systems.

This Special Issue of Sustainability offers a platform for advancing the understanding of theory and practice with regard to a new model of the agro-food system post-COVID-19. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to submit original research articles, case studies, reviews, critical perspectives, and viewpoint articles specifically on the aforementioned innovative elements established by the Food for Earth virtual toolbox.

Dr. Mariarosaria Lombardi
Guest Editor

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