A: Resilience and Adaptation for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems

Agri-food systems encompass value chains of food and non-food agricultural products originating from the crop, livestock, forestry, fisheries, or aquaculture. They include stakeholder activities related to the conservation of natural resources, cultivation and production, harvesting, transport, storage and processing to the marketing of agricultural products, their consumption and use.

Agri-food systems are exposed to various crises and shocks that threaten food security and nutrition as well as the environment and natural resources on which they depend. At the same time, the Agri-Food system contributes up to 30% to global greenhouse emissions and, thus, climate change. A transition towards sustainable agri-food systems involves several challenges and social justice issues; for instance, fair working conditions at farms or access to healthy food for local communities.

Promoting the adaptation and resilience of agri-food systems is, thus, of essential importance and demands integrative and holistic approaches based on an improved societal dialog and knowledge exchange between basic and applied science, education, extension, policy, and economy. We welcome contributions targeting innovations, opportunities, and challenges on the pathway to adapted, resilient and healthy agri-food systems.