Editorial: How do we move towards more sustainable agrifood production systems?

How do we move towards more sustainable agrifood production systems?The transition towards more sustainable agrifood production systems has become one of the defining challenges of our time.Climate change, biodiversity loss, resource depletion, social inequalities and geopolitical disruptions have exposed the limitations of prevailing production models based on intensive extraction, linear consumption and short-term economic rationality.The need for change has gained even greater relevance in light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for profound transformations in global production and consumption patterns.In response, governments, firms, civil society organizations and international institutions are increasingly seeking pathways to reconcile economic development with environmental integrity and social well-being.Yet, despite growing consensus on the urgency of sustainability transitions, an important question remains open: How can agrifood production systems transition towards sustainability?Why address specifically agrifood systems?Because they possess unique characteristics that differentiate them from other sectors and justify placing them at the very center of this debate.First, agricultural production is inherently tied to environmental impacts because it relies on land, water and ecosystem services while it simultaneously contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, biodiversity loss and water pollution (IPCC, 2019;Poore & Nemecek, 2018;Campbell et al., 2017;Springmann et al., 2018).Second, agrifood systems are deeply intertwined with socio-economic development.Beyond supplying food, they generate employment and income for billions of people, sustain rural livelihoods, shape food security and nutritional outcomes and influence poverty and inequality.Consequently, transformations within agrifood systems have far-reaching implications not only for environmental sustainability but also for social inclusion, economic resilience and human well-being.The transformation of these systems therefore requires balancing productivity and growth with equity, resilience and inclusive development (B� en� e et al., 2019; IFPRI, 2020).Finally, agrifood systems are fundamental to ensuring both food security -defined as access to safe and nutritious food for a healthy life (FAO, 1996;FAO et al., 2024) -and food safety -which ensures that food will not cause harm to the consumer (WHO, 2022; Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2023).Agrifood systems determine the availability, accessibility, affordability and nutritional quality of food, while also influencing its safety through production, processing, distribution and regulatory practices (Fanzo et al., 2021; HLPE, 2020;FAO et al., 2024).The complexity of these environmental, social and food-related challenges underscores that sustainability transitions extend far beyond changes in production and consumption practices alone.Agrifood systems encompass multiple actors operating across interconnected value chains and governance levels, making coordination and governance essential to achieving system-wide change.Consequently, sustainability transitions depend on institutional arrangements that shape incentives, establish rules and facilitate collaboration among governments, firms, producers, consumers and civil society organizations (North, 1990;Ostrom, 2005;Williamson, 2000).