Sustainable Development of Agricultural Systems

Dear Colleagues,

(1) Introduction, including scientific background and highlighting the importance of this research area.

This Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable Development of Agricultural Systems”, draws on current interdisciplinary research, focusing on the exploration and application of regenerative agricultural practices and tackling contentious issues such as carbon farming, livestock emissions, systems of rice intensification, and conservation grazing. It recognises the critical importance of moving away from extractivist practices towards holistic approaches that prioritise the health of ecosystems and communities alike. This Special Issue foregrounds indigenous knowledge systems, emphasising the interconnections between food, agricultural sustainability, and the wellbeing of people and planet.

In the face of escalating environmental degradation and the climate crisis, there is a growing acknowledgment of the imperative to transform agricultural practices and food systems via pathways for transitioning towards more sustainable, resilient agri-food systems. By safeguarding soil health and biodiversity, sustainable regenerative agriculture can mitigate environmental risks, offer secure livelihoods for small-scale farmers, strengthen local and global food systems, and address food injustice by challenging inequitable power dynamics within the food supply chain and fostering food sovereignty, which is essential for driving equitable and just agri-food transitions. Interrogating these components holistically through a decolonial lens, we gain insights into the complexities and intersections within environmental challenges, rooted in colonial histories and perpetuated by contemporary economic structures.

(2) Aim of the Special Issue and how the subject relates to the journal scope.

The Special Issue aims to explore pathways towards sustainable development in agricultural systems. It aligns closely with the journal’s interdisciplinary scope by delving into the complexities of sustainable agriculture, and shedding light on innovative strategies and trends that can contribute to the advancement of more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural systems.

(3) Suggest themes:

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

Carbon farming and prosperity, systems of rice intensification, livestock and conservation grazing, integration of native agroforestry and agriculture, agroecosystems, soil health and the microbiome, just transitions in the agri-food system, ecosystem services and green finance for agricultural sustainability, decoloniality, indigenous knowledge systems, agrarian extractivism, livelihood security, and food sovereignty.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Henrietta Moore
Prof. Dr. Jacqueline McGlade
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.

• agroecology and native vegetation
• agroforestry
• regenerative agriculture
• carbon sequestration
• livelihood security
• agricultural and environmental sustainability
• soil health
• decolonisation
• agri-food systems