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Systematic Review

Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture: Conceptual Challenges and Opportunities—A Systematic Literature Review

by
Karla Terán-Samaniego
1,
Jesús Martín Robles-Parra
2,*,
Irasema Vargas-Arispuro
3,
Miguel Ángel Martínez-Téllez
4,*,
María Cristina Garza-Lagler
2,
David Félix-Gurrlola
5,
Mayra Lucía Maycotte-de la Peña
1,
Julio César Tafolla-Arellano
6,
Jorge Alan García-Figueroa
5 and
Pablo César Espinoza-López
1
1
Postdoctoral Stays, Department of Economics, Regional Development Coordination, Research Center for Food and Development (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C./CIAD), Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas, No. 46, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico
2
Department of Economics, Regional Development Coordination, Research Center for Food and Development (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C./CIAD), Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas, No. 46, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico
3
Food Science Coordination, Research Center for Food and Development (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C./CIAD), Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas, No. 46, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico
4
Plant-Based Food Technology Coordination, Research Center for Food and Development (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C./CIAD), Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas, No. 46, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico
5
PhD Program in Regional Development, Department of Economics, Regional Development Coordination, Research Center for Food and Development (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C./CIAD), Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas, No. 46, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico
6
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Basic Sciences Department, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Calzada Antonio Narro, Buenavista, No. 1923, Saltillo 25315, Coahuila, Mexico
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 1805; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051805
Submission received: 6 December 2024 / Revised: 21 January 2025 / Accepted: 30 January 2025 / Published: 20 February 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Agricultural Crop Production)
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Abstract

The transition of agriculture towards sustainability faces significant obstacles, such as increased demand for food, food insecurity, climate variability, biodiversity loss, and food waste, among others. Moreover, agricultural activities must address ethical practices within sustainable development. The literature frequently mentions two approaches to meet these challenges: agroecology and sustainable agriculture. This study aims to delineate the conceptual boundaries of agroecology and sustainable agriculture while elucidating their interconnection. It seeks to clarify the scope and limitations inherent in these agricultural practices, which is critical given the centrality of sustainable agriculture in agrarian studies. By establishing these boundaries, the research outlines the methodologies to identify the relevant variables and indicators required for effective stakeholder engagement within agricultural systems. A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA method. The databases searched were Science Direct, Scopus, Nature, and Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria were (i) written in English or Spanish, (ii) published in a peer-reviewed academic journal, and (iii) related to the conceptualization of agroecology and sustainable agriculture. Publications were selected following the method’s identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion guidelines. The main distinctions between the concepts are the scale and the scope. Agroecology reveals limitations to achieving impacts on food security and agriculture’s challenges in a large-scale system better suited for rural communities and small farms seeking locally adapted solutions. On the other hand, the literature reveals that it is crucial to adopt a multi-scale systems approach to meet the growing food demands of the global population, for which sustainable agriculture may be more effective.
Keywords: agroecology; sustainable agriculture; sustainable development; agricultural systems agroecology; sustainable agriculture; sustainable development; agricultural systems

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MDPI and ACS Style

Terán-Samaniego, K.; Robles-Parra, J.M.; Vargas-Arispuro, I.; Martínez-Téllez, M.Á.; Garza-Lagler, M.C.; Félix-Gurrlola, D.; Maycotte-de la Peña, M.L.; Tafolla-Arellano, J.C.; García-Figueroa, J.A.; Espinoza-López, P.C. Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture: Conceptual Challenges and Opportunities—A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability 2025, 17, 1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051805

AMA Style

Terán-Samaniego K, Robles-Parra JM, Vargas-Arispuro I, Martínez-Téllez MÁ, Garza-Lagler MC, Félix-Gurrlola D, Maycotte-de la Peña ML, Tafolla-Arellano JC, García-Figueroa JA, Espinoza-López PC. Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture: Conceptual Challenges and Opportunities—A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability. 2025; 17(5):1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051805

Chicago/Turabian Style

Terán-Samaniego, Karla, Jesús Martín Robles-Parra, Irasema Vargas-Arispuro, Miguel Ángel Martínez-Téllez, María Cristina Garza-Lagler, David Félix-Gurrlola, Mayra Lucía Maycotte-de la Peña, Julio César Tafolla-Arellano, Jorge Alan García-Figueroa, and Pablo César Espinoza-López. 2025. "Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture: Conceptual Challenges and Opportunities—A Systematic Literature Review" Sustainability 17, no. 5: 1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051805

APA Style

Terán-Samaniego, K., Robles-Parra, J. M., Vargas-Arispuro, I., Martínez-Téllez, M. Á., Garza-Lagler, M. C., Félix-Gurrlola, D., Maycotte-de la Peña, M. L., Tafolla-Arellano, J. C., García-Figueroa, J. A., & Espinoza-López, P. C. (2025). Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture: Conceptual Challenges and Opportunities—A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 17(5), 1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17051805

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