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Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Agrifood Economy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 1071

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
The Department of Agrifood and Environmental Economics, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010961 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: market research; marketing competitiveness; wine chain; agrifood chains; marketing; competitiveness; performance; marketing research; agrifood management; business planning; entrepreneurship; ecological agrifood market; food economics

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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, University of Foggia, Via R. Cagesse, 1-71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: environmental sustainability; environmental impact assessment; carbon footprint; renewable energy; bioenergy; social and technological innovation; agrifood supply chains; climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
The Department of Agrifood and Environmental Economics, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010961 Bucharest , Romania
Interests: agricultural; economics; sustainability; agriculture; sustainable agriculture; organic farming; food security; agricultural statistics; farming; crop production; organic agriculture; crop management; fertilizers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The agrifood sector continues to face several challenges, but is also encountering new opportunities. In terms of the challenges, the agrifood sector has experienced a series of shocks that have led to economic and other changes. One phenomenon has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to disruptions in supply chains, decreases in demand, problematic situations regarding agrifood labor and adverse impacts on international trade. International trade was disrupted by a second phenomenon, namely restrictions and embargoes, putting food security at risk. A third phenomenon, somewhat influenced by those already mentioned, is the ongoing energy crisis; in 2022, energy prices reached record levels. This situation has negatively influenced the economy of the agrifood sector and, given the sector’s dependence on energy sources (fuels, lubricants, fertilizers, transport, etc.), prices have risen, putting both the profitability of farmers and the economic security of food supply (the food security component) at risk.

Fortunately, there are also opportunities in the agrifood economy, and a great deal of support has come from the United Nations through the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Strategy. Through this strategy and by achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the agrifood sector can both develop sustainably and also contribute to various dimensions of sustainability such as zero poverty, healthy and sustainable food, natural resource management, and climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals can make a significant contribution to the economy of the food sector by stimulating innovation and investment, increasing market competitiveness, accessing new markets and partnerships, reducing risks and costs, and promoting resilience and stability.

This Special Issue aims to identify solutions to the main challenges facing the economy of the agrifood sector, and at the same time, to contribute to the valorization of opportunities in this sector, with a view to achieving sustainability and the sustainable development goals through original studies and research. We encourage authors to submit original research articles, reviews, and critical perspectives in order to develop the thematic focus and provide stakeholders with visions and strategies regarding the sustainable development of the agrifood economy.

Prof. Dr. Georgiana Raluca Lădaru
Dr. Mariarosaria Lombardi
Dr. Ionut Laurentiu Petre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • agrifood economy
  • agrifood sector
  • challenges in agrifood
  • opportunities in agrifood
  • sustainable agrifood economy
  • sustainable agrifood system
  • SDGs
  • agrifood and SDGs

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 852 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Export Competitiveness of Agri-Food Products at the EU-27 Level through the Perspective of Technical Complexity
by Georgiana Raluca Lădaru, Mariarosaria Lombardi, Ionut Laurentiu Petre, Carmen Elena Dobrotă, Marco Platania and Steliana Mocanu
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5807; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135807 - 8 Jul 2024
Viewed by 733
Abstract
This paper aims to identify the export competitiveness of agri-food products at the level of the European Union Member States, considering indicators/elements belonging to technical innovation (technical complexity) as well as qualitative elements. The main research problem is to examine the differences in [...] Read more.
This paper aims to identify the export competitiveness of agri-food products at the level of the European Union Member States, considering indicators/elements belonging to technical innovation (technical complexity) as well as qualitative elements. The main research problem is to examine the differences in the technical complexity of agri-food exports (EXPY) between EU Member States. Through detailed analysis of product categories and Member States’ performance, we have identified significant differences in the technical complexity of exports. Products such as dairy, meat, cereal and vegetable preparations were associated with high technical complexity, while fruit, tobacco and oils were classified in the low technical complexity category. We also identified Member States with exports characterised by high technical complexity, including Cyprus, Ireland and Luxembourg, and those with low technical complexity, such as Slovakia, Latvia and Croatia. These findings suggest the influence of various factors, such as economic specialisation, natural resources and R&D investment on shaping the agri-food export landscape in the European Union. In-depth analysis of these issues provides significant insights for understanding the economic and technical dynamics in the European agri-food sector. Full article
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