Evidence-Based Solutions for an Agro-Ecological Transition

Dear Colleagues,

The transition towards sustainable agricultural production systems defines the current debate in European agricultural policy. The European Green Deal ambitiously aims to tackle environmental challenges in relation to agriculture through the transformation of current agricultural practices to climate-friendly, sustainable, and animal welfare friendly farming methods, such as organic agriculture or agroecology. This ambition is clearly articulated in the international discussion around the upcoming Farm to Fork Strategy, the new Common Agricultural Policy, and on the new research and innovation framework program, Horizon Europe 2021–27. In order to help implement the more sustainable direction of European agricultural policy, it is paramount to showcase new and innovative research results and evidence-based practical solutions for realizing and mainstreaming “sustainable intensification”, agroecological, and other environmentally sustainable production methods. Temporal and spatial diversification of cropping systems, multifunctional land use, or novel water and nutrient-saving techniques for building up climate resilience are just some of the practical examples that may contribute to the implementation of sustainability in agroecosystems.

This Special Issue of Sustainability aims to collect a wide range of applied research results on new, practical solutions and innovative sustainable technologies applied within the context of organic agriculture, agroecology, agroforestry, permaculture and farm animal production systems (including pastoralism, bee-keeping, or other animal farming methods), that contribute to (but are not restricted to):

• Increased resource use efficiency;
• Enhancement of agrobiodiversity,
• Increased productivity and profitability via agroecological solutions (including crop diversification and multifunctional land use with or without livestock production)
• Transitioning towards sustainable animal husbandry and an increased level of on-farm animal welfare;
• Solutions for overcoming lock-ins of existing market operations to implement more sustainable farming systems;
• Evaluating the performance of agroecological systems, including solutions for monitoring sustainability-related environmental changes.

Studies of sustainable practices and solutions conducted in cooperation with farmer networks and communities and/or using a Living Laboratory approach are especially welcome.

Dr. Szilvia Bencze
Dr. Dóra Drexler
Dr. Mariann Molnár
Guest Editors

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