Making the Shift to Sustainable Agri-Food Production and Consumption Models

Dear Colleagues,

Agri-food systems face unprecedented challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, and shifting consumer demands. The role of innovation, such as that spanning technological, organizational, and socio-ecological dimensions, is critical to transforming agri-food systems into resilient, sustainable, and productive models. Transitioning towards more sustainable models means rethinking management practices and business models, establishing new collaborative spaces with stakeholders, identifying enabling policies, and repositioning production to leverage market forces and changing consumer expectations. Compounding the challenge is the consumption dimension, in which we must ensure that regenerative practices will be sustainable and scalable in the long term.

The covered topics should discuss the following:

1. Innovation adoption: drivers and barriers of digital, AI-based, and other data-driven decision-making solutions.
2. Innovation management: business models for circular and sustainable agriculture, value-chain integration, and market access for ecosystem-based products.
3. Stakeholder collaboration: co-creation networks, information- and knowledge-sharing platforms, and community-led innovation in rural ecosystems.
4. Consumption and markets: consumer acceptance, circular consumption practices, demand creation for regenerative products, and behavioral drivers of sustainable food choices.
5. Sustainability assessment: performance measurement, impact assessment, and accountability frameworks for ecological and socio-economic outcomes.
6. Policy and governance: multi-level policy frameworks, incentives, and public–private partnerships supporting a responsible policy for innovation.

Dr. Margherita Masi
Dr. Yari Vecchio
Dr. Marcello De Rosa
Topic Editors