Agri-Food Markets towards Sustainable Patterns

Valeria Borsellino, Emanuele Schimmenti and Hamid El Bilali
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Valeria Borsellino: Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Emanuele Schimmenti: Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Hamid El Bilali: International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), via Ceglie 9, 70010 Valenzano (Bari), Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-35

Abstract: In recent decades, the confluence of different global and domestic drivers has led to progressive and unpredictable changes in the functioning and structure of agri-food markets worldwide. Given the unsustainability of the current agri-food production, processing, distribution and consumption patterns, and the inadequate governance of the whole food system, the transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems has become crucial to effectively manage a global agri-food market able in supporting expected population growth and ensuring universal access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for all. Based on a critical review of the existing international literature, the paper seeks to understand the evolutionary paths of sustainability issues within agri-food markets by analyzing their drivers and trends. An extensive analysis was conducted highlighting the development and importance of the body of knowledge on the most important sustainability transition frameworks, focusing mainly on the relationship between markets, trade, food and nutrition security, and other emerging issues within agri-food markets. Finally, the study makes suggestions to extend the research in order to improve basic knowledge and to identify opportunities to design meaningful actions that can shape agri-food markets and foster their transition to sustainability.

Keywords: sustainability transitions; short food supply chains; alternative food networks; food systems; food security; nutrition; food policy; globalization; liberalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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