Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems: From Crop Production to By-Product Utilization
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: marketing and consumer behavior; food fraud; supply chain analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue addresses the critical area of developing and implementing emerging technologies that enhance the sustainability, efficiency, and transparency of agri-food systems—from crop production to by-product utilization. The global agri-food sector is currently undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the urgent need to produce more food with fewer resources, minimize environmental impacts, and strengthen resilience throughout the supply chain.
Modern agriculture faces a wide range of challenges, including climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, and food losses, while consumers increasingly demand high-quality, safe, and ethically produced food. At the same time, large quantities of agricultural by-products and residues are generated, which can serve as valuable resources for bio-based materials, fertilizers, feed, and renewable energy if managed properly. These dynamics highlight the need for integrated and technology-driven solutions that connect production, processing, distribution, and reuse in a sustainable loop.
Digitalization and automation are at the forefront of this transition. Technologies such as precision agriculture, IoT-based monitoring, drones, robotics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data analytics enable real-time decision-making, optimize resource use, improve traceability, and build consumer trust. Together with circular bioeconomy approaches, these innovations contribute to reducing waste, increasing resource efficiency, and improving the overall sustainability and competitiveness of agri-food systems.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore the intersection of technology, sustainability, and innovation across the agri-food chain. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Precision and digital agriculture;
- Smart monitoring and automation systems;
- Blockchain and traceability solutions;
- AI and data-driven decision support;
- Sustainable food processing and energy efficiency;
- Valorization of by-products and waste reduction;
- Circular bioeconomy and biotechnological innovations;
- Food quality, authenticity, and transparency;
- Climate-smart and resource-efficient farming systems;
- Socio-economic, policy, and ethical aspects of technological adoption.
By linking technological advances with environmental, economic, and social sustainability, this Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how emerging technologies can drive the transition toward resilient, efficient, and circular agri-food systems.
Dr. Zeljka Mesić
Guest Editor
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.
Keywords
- precision agriculture
- circular bioeconomy
- traceability and digitalization
- by-product valorization
- sustainable food systems
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