Sustainability is increasingly becoming a keyword for viable agri-food systems. Alongside Agenda 2030, sustainability is acknowledged as a multidimensional issue involving three main spheres of knowledge and action: economic, social, and environmental. Agriculture and food are strongly influenced by climate change, increasing the scarcity of natural resources and changes in land availability and use. These affect, in turn, the economic performance of farms and the social organization in agriculture. At the same time, the agri-food system is at the center of relevant economic interests, in which the primary sector is often the weakest link of the supply chain. This calls for a new approach to primary agricultural activities and food production, and also for a different perspective in research. A sustainable approach to agriculture, in the context of global governance, can lead to the improvement of ecosystems, the reduction of waste of food and natural resources, and an equitable access to food. It also requires a new set of policies able to overcome the trade-offs among objectives and searching for win-win solutions. The articles in this Special Issue contribute to explore, discuss at a scientific level, and disseminate at an international level the possible economic strategies and policies for implementing sustainable agricultural systems and food products, and making rural areas more attractive, reducing unbalances with urban areas. The result is a combination of rich, interesting, and innovating approaches and challenging methodologies, with contributions from all over the world.

This book is included in DOAB.