Innovative Approaches in Agroecology and Ecosystem Services for Transformative Sustainable Food Systems

Modern agriculture or agricultural intensification faces a triple challenge: meeting growing food demands with less fossil energy while addressing urgent environmental concerns such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation. Agroecology or agroecological intensification offers a promising alternative to industrial agriculture by drawing on local knowledge and practices. However, its broader application and potential to scale remain constrained, requiring a deeper exploration of how agroecological principles can effectively transform current food systems. How can agroecology link new tools, knowledge systems, and innovations to support the transformation of food systems toward sustainability?

This research theme highlights emerging research and innovative methodologies at the intersection of agroecology and ecosystem services to support sustainable food system development. In the face of growing environmental challenges, food insecurity, and the need for ecological transition, exploring local knowledge of farmers and cutting-edge approaches that contribute to resilient and regenerative agriculture is essential. This transition requires a transdisciplinary and systemic understanding of food systems based on integrated analytical frameworks that can comprehend their complexity.

This collection provides a platform for the next generation of researchers to help reinvent agriculture by focusing on ecological integrity, technological progress, and the long-term sustainability of food systems. Therefore, we invite early career researchers to share their insights on the following subjects:

- Automation and technological innovation in agroecology: Digital tools and data-driven approaches specifically designed to enhance the understanding, management, and support of ecological processes within agroecosystems.

- Enhancing agro-biodiversity and local knowledge: How can underutilized local resources improve food security and ecosystem integrity?

- Assessing agricultural ecosystem services: Tools and frameworks for quantifying and integrating ecological functions into decision-making.

- Sustainable food systems and circular economy practices: Ways to improve sustainability in production, distribution, and consumption chains.

- Transdisciplinary and systemic approaches: Jointly mobilizing ecological, technological, and social knowledge to support the transformation of agri-food systems towards sustainable models, recognizing their complexity and interconnected nature.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Transformative Food Systems, agroecology, ecosystem services, food insecurity, regenerative agriculture

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.