Sustainability Practices to Improve the Agri-Food Chains

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability practices at all stages of agricultural food chains (production, processing, distribution, consumption) are becoming important requirements to meet consumer expectations; therefore, they represent a competitive advantage for firms that can guarantee the monitoring of the environmental performance of processes. In fact, sustainability schemes are able to achieve a more sustainable supply chain and create value for stakeholders. The sustainability of agri-food systems is most often defined in reference to the three classic pillars of sustainability (ecological, economic, and social). Hence, agricultural activities and the production, distribution, and consumption of food have a direct impact on the quality of natural resources and human life. For instance, the demand for food for a growing population should respond to the need for safe and healthy products obtained in production environments that respect workers' rights. This is due to the fact that many agricultural food chains are unsustainable. In this regard, new and complex challenges to world agriculture are necessary. The introduction of new innovative and sustainable practices into the agricultural system is possible if detailed studies of different aspects provide practical tools, including an appropriate set of indicators for assessing the impact of agricultural practices on the environment, evaluation of the sustainability of the agri-food system, and the role of agriculture policies to promote sustainable development models.

In the context of this Special Issue, the features of different agricultural systems around the world are important to understand trends toward more sustainable practices along food supply chains.

The principal aim of this Special Issue is to exchange knowledge on any aspect related to the balance between the ecological, economic, and social impacts of the agricultural practices in agricultural food chains.

Prof. Dr. Rosa Maria Fanelli
Guest Editor

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• agri-environmental indicators
• agriculture policies to promote sustainable development models
• corporate social responsibility
• green food production
• food quality
• innovative and sustainable practices
• reduction in food losses
• reduction in food waste
• social sustainability
• the sustainability of logistic processes in food chains