Improving Policy Evidence Base for Agricultural Sustainability and Food Security: A Content Analysis of Life Cycle Assessment Research

Oriana Gava, Fabio Bartolini, Francesca Venturi, Gianluca Brunori and Alberto Pardossi
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Oriana Gava: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
Fabio Bartolini: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
Francesca Venturi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
Gianluca Brunori: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy
Alberto Pardossi: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Pisa 56124, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-29

Abstract: Life cycle assessment is a widespread method for measuring and monitoring the environmental impacts of production processes, thereby allowing the comparison of business-as-usual with more ecological scenarios. Life cycle assessment research can support evidence-based policy making by comparing and communicating the environmental impacts of agricultural and food systems, informing about the impact of mitigating interventions and monitoring sectoral progress towards sustainable development goals. This article aims at improving the contribution of science to evidence-based policies for agricultural sustainability and food security, while facilitating further research, by delivering a content-analysis based literature review of life cycle assessment research in agricultural and food economics. Results highlight that demand-side and system-level approaches need further development, as policies need to support redesigned agricultural systems and newly conceived dietary guidelines, which combine environmental protection and health benefits, without reducing productivity. Similarly, more research effort towards consequential life cycle assessment and multidimensional assessment may benefit policy makers by considering the rebound effects associated with the large-scale implementation of impact-mitigating interventions. Promising interventions involve the promotion of waste circularization strategies, which could also improve the profitability of agriculture. For effective policy making towards agricultural sustainability and food security worldwide, countries with the greatest expected population growth and raise of urbanization rates need more attention by researchers.

Keywords: LCA; sustainability assessment; Social Network Analysis; interventions; pollution; health; rebound effect (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 (7)

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