ABSTRACT. Introduction In the context of increasing pressure on food systems to deliver environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and social equity, agroecology has emerged as a key paradigm for systemic transformation. In Italy, Biodistricts (BDs) represent a place-based governance model integrating organic farming, local institutions, citizens, and value chain actors, filling an important governance gap between farm-level agroecological practices and territorial coordination mechanisms. This paper investigates the role of BDs in supporting AT processes, addressing key global challenges such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, circular resource use, and the regeneration of marginal rural areas. The main research question is: how are Italian BD progressing along the AT pathway, and to what extent do they contribute to advancing this transition at the territorial level? Methods The study adopts a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis of survey-based indicators and qualitative assessment of governance processes, territorial initiatives, and stakeholder interactions. A national survey of BDs is complemented by policy analysis. Based on the information collected through a national survey, the indicators identified in existing agroecological assessment frameworks (e.g., SAFE) and specific features characterizing BDs, a synthetic agroecological index is developed. This index is structured according to the 3 core dimensions of agroecology, science, practices, and movement, and calculated for each BD. Indicators were selected according to relevance, data availability, and consistency with AT literature; values were normalised and aggregated through equal weighting to ensure comparability across cases. The quantitative analysis is complemented by a qualitative assessment of the activities carried out by individual BDs. These activities are classified according to the thirteen agroecological principles defined by the HLPE (2019) and the transition phases identified by Gliessman (2015). The integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence allows triangulation between structural performance indicators and territorial governance dynamics. Furthermore, in line with the RiflAEssi project, the activities are structured around the 5 components of agroecological transformative process (Biovision, 2023). Data Data derive from an original dataset (CREA, 2025) covering over 30 Italian BDs, collected between 2023 and 2026 through structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, and secondary sources. Variables include farm typologies, adoption of agroecological practices, governance models, market channels, and links to rural development policies. Data quality checks included triangulation across sources and consistency validation. The dataset is currently under completion; the results presented here are based on the first consolidated sample available in early 2026. Results and discussion Preliminary results show that BD significantly contribute to the territorial scaling of agroecological practices, particularly in terms of organic surface expansion, diversification, and soil-conserving practices. On average, BDs report organic shares above regional averages and widespread adoption of short supply chains and collective territorial branding initiatives. Strong performance is observed in fostering short supply chains, enhancing consumer trust, and promoting circularity through local resource use and waste reduction. BD also emerge as laboratories for social innovation, with participatory governance and community-based food networks playing a crucial role. However, there is heterogeneity across cases, with more structured BDs showing stronger integration between governance capacity, market organisation, and policy support, while recently established initiatives remain more dependent on local institutional leadership and project-based funding. Key challenges include limited integration with CAP instruments, uneven digitalization, and difficulties in measuring ecosystem services. Compared to existing literature, this study provides novel empirical evidence on BD as meso-level transition arenas linking farm-level practices with territorial governance. Conclusions Italian BDs demonstrate significant but differentiated potential as enabling environments for AT, particularly in advancing circular food systems, enhancing resilience, and supporting rural regeneration. Policy implications include the need to strengthen their recognition within CAP strategic plans, improve monitoring frameworks for ecosystem services, and support capacity building and digital innovation. Limitations concern data availability and variability across regions. Future research should focus on longitudinal impacts and cross-country comparisons, especially in relation to other territorial governance experiences supporting AT. BDs can be considered a promising model for integrating organic farming into broader sustainability transitions at landscape level. References Biovision. (2023). Donor and Investor Convening Boosting Food Systems Transformation through Agroecology, 20-21 October, Rome. Gliessman, S. (2015). Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems. CRC Press. HLPE. (2019). Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition. Rome.

ABSTRACT. Introduction: Mediterranean agriculture is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, as frequent droughts and heatwaves compromise crop stability and soil health by depleting water reserves and accelerating soil degradation. Transitioning to agroecological practices to build resilience requires re-designing cropping systems to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and local stakeholder expertise. Launched in 2023 under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme (RDP), the SIC.A.RI.B. (Agroecological Regenerative and Organic Agricultural system in Sicily) Operational Group (OG) addresses this challenge through a multi-actor framework integrating organic and regenerative methods. This initiative aims to stabilize regional cereal-based systems against market and ecological volatility by optimizing soil microbial activity, water retention, biodiversity, and nutrient availability (Giller et al., 2021). Central to this strategy is a living lab approach that facilitates dialogue among stakeholders. By co-designing self-monitoring protocols, stakeholders become active evaluators of key ecosystem services, specifically soil fertility and functional biodiversity (Toffolini et al., 2023). This collaborative model fosters the socio-technical networks and knowledge-sharing hubs essential for scaling resilient agroecological practices across the Mediterranean basin.

Methods: To evaluate the performance of innovative versus conventional soil management practices within organic systems, a comparative framework was developed using a participatory stakeholder approach through an established Living Lab. Following a pilot study on an organic cereal lighthouse farm, the experimental design focused on a specialized intercropping system - pairing chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. - var. Pascià) with landrace wheat (Triticum aestivum L. - var. Maiorca) - integrated with minimum tillage to optimise land-use efficiency and functional biodiversity. Tailored to local socio-environmental dynamics, this system was rigorously compared against a conventional organic business as usual (BAU) monoculture to determine its capacity for enhancing biodiversity and regional agroecological sustainability. This strategy aims at improving overall sustainability and spontaneous flora management by enhancing carbon sequestration and reduced mechanical soil disturbance. To test the replicability of the system, the trial was repeated at an additional living lab farm.

Data: To evaluate the impact of soil management practices, researchers integrated scientific assessments of soil properties and spontaneous flora with participatory self-monitoring protocols co-designed with stakeholders, these protocols represent simple and replicable tools, such as spade test and floristic diversity assessment to facilitate farmers to evaluate soil health and quality independently. By maintaining balanced plant populations, farmers can suppress aggressive weeds while enhancing ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling and habitat creation. Consequently, this framework bridges the gap between rigorous data collection and sustained, practical application on the farm.

Results and discussion: Despite seasonal weather patterns significantly impacted soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activity. crop yields consistently aligned with projected benchmarks. The bioregenerative intercropped system, designed to stimulate functional soil biodiversity, demonstrated superior resilience and productivity compared to the BAU monoculture. This performance gap was largely attributed to distinct weed dynamics. In pure chickpea plots, weeds proliferation was higher compared to intercropped system, where the rapid early-growth of wheat acted as a competitive buffer, effectively suppressing weed pressure and enhancing chickpea performance. Spring sampling showed a marked increase in biological indicators over winter baseline, particularly for enzymes associated with the C, N, and P cycles, such as β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase. The intercropped system showed higher enzymatic activity compared to the BAU methods, demonstrating enhanced biological vitality in the regenerated soils. By comparing these systems to conventional organic methods, this study provides a comprehensive assessment of ecosystem services, including nitrogen fixation and functional biodiversity. Furthermore, the introduction of a simplified self-monitoring protocol supports farmer autonomy in assessing soil health and spontaneous plant growth. Preliminary economic data suggest that intercropping enhances farm profitability by optimising land-use efficiency and reducing external input dependency, thereby stabilising yields while minimising operational costs.

Conclusions: The SIC.A.RI.B. project proves that the Living Lab methodology effectively bridges the gap between bioregenerative innovation and stakeholder adoption. These findings establish a robust economic strategy for the long-term sustainability of Mediterranean organic cereal farms, with multi-site trials validating scalability across diverse pedoclimatic and organizational landscapes. Because the transition requires no specialized machinery or extensive retraining, the barrier to entry for organic cereal producers remains low. Ultimately, SIC.A.RI.B. offers a high-efficiency framework for the Mediterranean region that reinforces agroecosystem resilience against biotic and abiotic stressors by integrating soil health restoration and biodiversity management.

References

Giller, K. E., Hijbeek, R., Andersson, J. A., & Sumberg, J. (2021). Regenerative agriculture: an agronomic perspective. Outlook on agriculture, 50(1), 13-25.

Toffolini, Q., Hannachi, M., Capitaine, M., & Cerf, M. (2023). Ideal-types of experimentation practices in agricultural Living Labs: Various appropriations of an open innovation model. Agricultural Systems, 208, 103661.

ABSTRACT. Introduction The agroecological transition (AT) of farming systems is a complex, multi-dimensional process requiring robust and operational assessment frameworks. Despite the growing diffusion of indicator-based approaches, existing methodologies often struggle to integrate technical, socio-institutional, and territorial dimensions of AT. In the context of global challenges, place-based governance models are increasingly recognized as key enablers of systemic change. The Agroecological Biodistrict (BD) “Valle dei Templi” (Sicily, Italy) represents an institutional and territorial initiative aimed at guiding farms towards agroecological practices. This study addresses two main research questions: (i) what level of AT have farms within the BD achieved?, and (ii) does participation in the BD enhance the transition process towards higher stages (levels 4 & 5) of the Gliessman scale? The objective is to develop and test an integrated methodology for monitoring and evaluating AT at both farm and territorial level.

Methods and data The methodology combines quantitative indicators derived from farm surveys with qualitative evidence collected through structured and semi-structured interviews, considering variables such as land use, farming practices, input use, diversification, participation in local networks, and governance mechanisms. The proposed methodology integrates three complementary frameworks: (i) the 13 Elements of Agroecology defined by FAO and integrated by HLPE, providing a holistic conceptual basis; (ii) the five levels of AT elaborated by Stephen R. Gliessman, describing the evolutionary pathway of farming systems; and (iii) the policy framework and operational tools defined by the Sicilian Regional Law 21/2021. A correlation matrix is constructed to link these frameworks, from which a set of 7 multidimensional indicators is derived: resource-use efficiency, biodiversity, circularity, social equity, knowledge co-creation, ecological resilience, territorial governance). Each indicator was assessed at both farm and BD level through a 1–7 scoring system aligned with the Gliessman scale, enabling the classification of transition stages. The methodology is tested on a pilot sample of four farms within the BD. The farms were selected to represent different production systems and degrees of involvement in BD activities, ensuring variability in transition pathways. Data collection has been conducted between 2024 and 2026. Data validation is ensured through triangulation across sources and consistency checks. The monitoring system also incorporates participatory self-assessment tools to enhance farmer engagement and data reliability, integrating farmer-generated evaluations with researcher-based assessments.

Results and discussion Preliminary findings indicate heterogeneous levels of AT among the sampled farms, generally ranging from Gliessman level 3 (minimum 3 scale points), with emerging elements of levels 4 and 5 related to territorial integration and food system transformation (5 or 6 scale points). Although based on a very limited pilot sample, early evidence suggests that BD membership can facilitate progression towards higher transition levels (6 or 7 scale points). Farms actively engaged in the BD show stronger performance in terms of diversification, circular resource management, and participation. The proposed methodology proves effective in capturing both technical and socio-institutional dimensions of agroecology, offering an operational and policy-oriented assessment tool compared to existing indicator-based approaches. In particular, the framework integrates governance, policy, and farm-level dimensions within evaluation system, thus improving the capacity to monitor territorial AT processes.

Conclusions The BD “Valle dei Templi” functions as a promising territorial laboratory for advancing AT. The integrated methodology developed in this study provides a robust and transferable framework for assessing and supporting transition pathways, with potential applications in policy monitoring and CAP implementation. However, results are based on a limited pilot sample and require further validation on a larger scale. Future research will focus on expanding the dataset to all 24 farms belonging to the BD, and assessing long-term impacts. Strengthening the role of BD could enhance the alignment between local practices and broader sustainability goals, including climate mitigation and resilient/integrated food systems.

References Dara Guccione, G., et al. (2024). Insights into the agroecological transition: the case of two Italian bio-districts. Italian Review of Agricultural Economics, 79(1), 97–111. FAO. (2018). The 10 elements of agroecology. Guiding the Transition to Sustainable Food and Agricultural Systems, Rome, https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/i9037en Gliessman, S.R. (2016). Agroecology: The ecology of sustainable food systems. CRC Press. HLPE. (2019). Agroecological and other innovative approaches for sustainable agriculture and food systems that enhance food security and nutrition. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome. Regione Siciliana. (2021). L.R. n. 21/2021. GURS. Palermo. Wezel, A., et al. (2020). Agroecological principles and elements and their implications for transitioning to sustainable food systems. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 40, 40 (2020).

ABSTRACT. Agroecology is today globally recognized as one of the most promising pathways for addressing the strategic challenges affecting our agri-food systems. Rooted into the global organic farming movement, agroecology can be understood as a holistic and integrated transformative approach capable of combining ecological sustainability, social justice, and territorial resilience (Altieri, Nicholls, 2020; Rahmann et al, 2017; Wezel et al., 2009). As outlined in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the Agroecology Partnership, Agroecology is grounded in the recognition of the profound heterogeneity of local contexts and of the differentiated impacts that climate change exerts across European regions. This requires forms of coordination able to connect shared orientations at European level with the specificities of national and local realities, while strengthening collective capacities to respond to uncertainty across contexts. Therefore, multilevel initiatives aimed at structured multiscale interactions might guarantee the transfer of visions, needs and ambitions across the different scales. In this perspective, the emergence of Mirror Initiatives can be understood as peculiar governance instrument linked to a broader set of needs that have progressively characterised the Agroecology Partnership. These initiatives can be understood precisely in relation to the convergence of dimensions where territorial diversity is recognised as a value and the need emerges for stable instruments capable of linking coordination, transformation, and exchange across levels. The aim of the present work is to present an analysis of this institutional mechanism, focusing on its conceptual foundations, its distinctive features, and its role as a context-sensitive initiative capable of reflecting and operationalising the objectives and methodologies of the European Agroecology Partnership in different territorial settings. Methodologically, the study combines a scoping review and a preliminary mapping phase. The first is used to clarify the conceptual profile of Mirror Initiatives (MIs), identify their defining dimensions, thus building the analytical framework of the research (Arksey & O’Malley, 2005; Levac et al., 2010; Peters et al., 2020). The preliminary mapping, carried out in six European MS (CZ, DE, DK, ES, FR, IT) has been conceived as an exploratory and purpose-oriented steps which allowed to identify situating, and characterizing initiatives within the empirical field. A first preliminary result of this exploratory mapping is the identification of cases, as the Italian Mirror Initiative riflAEssi and the Spanish National Mirror Group, in which the characteristics of these initiatives have been observed and discussed. The work contributes both to the conceptual clarification of Mirror Initiatives and to the first empirical exploration of their possible configurations. It reflects on the potential role of these initiatives as intermediate mechanisms capable of linking European coordination with situated agroecological transitions across diverse territorial contexts. Being the study in its initial phase, the analysed cases do not yet aim to provide an exhaustive representation of the field, but rather to offer an initial empirical basis through which the analytical framework can be tested and further refined. Altieri M. A. & Nicholls C. I. (2020). Agroecology: Theory and Practice for a Sustainable Agriculture. CRC Press. Arksey, H., & O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616. Canali, S., Epifani R., Maurino, S., Colombo, L., Maggioli, M., Dara Guccione, G., ..Amoriello, T. (2025) Ricerca innovazione e formazione per l'agroecologia: azioni di supporto per il sistema Italia. aspetti concettuali ed operativi del progetto riflAEssi. Zenodo, 21 dicembre 2025 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18009494. Levac, D., Colquhoun, H., & O'Brien, K. K. (2010). Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology. Implementation Science, 5, Article 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69. Peters et al. (2020). Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews. JBI Evidence Synthesis 18(10): p 2119-2126. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00167. Rahmann, G., Reza Ardakani, M., Bàrberi, P., Boehm, H., Canali, S., Chander, M., ... & Zanoli, R. (2017). Organic Agriculture 3.0 is innovation with research. Organic agriculture, 7(3), 169-197. SCAR – AE (2023). The Agroecology Partnership’s SRIA: The strategic research and innovation agenda for the candidate European partnership “Accelerating Farming Systems Transition: Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures”, https://scar-europe.org/images/Agroecology/SRIA_rev23-02-2023.pdf. Wezel A., et al. (2009). “Agroecology as a science, a movement and a practice. A review.” Agronomy for Sustainable Development 29(4), 503-515.

ABSTRACT. INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to analyze and monitor the development of Agroecological Living Labs in Italy and identify the main objectives and actions implemented in the medium and long term. This research is part of the mapping activities of the riflAEssi project, funded by Masaf as a mirror of the Agroecology Partnership. The overall objective of the riflAEssi project is to promote agroecology and agroecology research at the national level, in strong synergy with the activities and actions developed transnationally through the European Agroecology Partnership (AP), and to provide guidance for the Italian regional context, also taking into account the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, and the CAP. One of the specific objectives is to provide an updated inventory of national research and open innovation initiatives in agroecology at the national level. Among these initiatives are Agroecological Living Labs. "Agroecological Living Labs are defined as transdisciplinary approaches that engage farmers, researchers, and other agri-food stakeholders in co-learning, co-designing, monitoring, and evaluating agroecological practices to develop innovative solutions to promote agroecological principles in the community and its transition to sustainability. (Rastorgueva et al. 2025)"

Methods

The mapping was carried out through interviews with the coordinators of the Italian Agroecological Living Labs identified through desk research, projects funded by the AP, and ALLs mapped by the Agroecology Europe Hub.The final list of ALLs to be interviewed consisted of 9 entities that correspond to the agroecological living labs involved in projects funded by the AP. The interviews were conducted using a questionnaire developed as part of the riflAEssi project. This questionnaire was divided into sections to gather information on the structure of the ALLs and the needs of the area, the objectives to be achieved, and the actions implemented.

DATA

The interviews were conducted in spring 2026, and the questions are divided into 4 sections: interviewee personal details; general information about the Agroecological Living Lab; local and social context of the ALL; ALL's needs, objectives, and actions. Some questions required open-ended answers (personal details, general information about the ALLs, local context, average age of participants, needs, objectives, and actions). Others required closed, multiple-choice answers. To identify the types of stakeholders involved, 6 classes were identified (none, 1 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 50, and more than 50) and eight categories (farmers/breeders, processors, politicians, technicians, researchers, citizens, NGOs, and the HoReCa sector). Regarding the objectives, participants were given the option to choose up to five of the 13 principles indicated. The last three questions, regarding participation in the European Network, European or national projects, and the usefulness of being part of a network, were simple yes/no answers.

The interviews, which lasted about half an hour, were conducted online, with the interviewees answering the questionnaire questions.

RESULTS

The 9 ALLs identified accepted the request to complete the questionnaire. They are evenly distributed across the country, specifically located in Piedmont (1), Tuscany (3), Trentino Alto Adige (2), Basilicata (2), and Sicily (1). The launch dates of the individual ALLs range from 2015 (Mair am hof) to 2025 (CoolFarmLab and ALL Tuscany). Farms and researchers are the most involved; 60% of the ALLs have between 11 and 20 participating farms, and there are no Living Labs without participating farms. Researchers are present in 50% of cases, with a number ranging from 11 to 20. Horeca providers are not present in 75% of cases, and ordinary citizens are not present in 50% of cases. The average age of members varies between 30 and 50. The main method used to keep ALL members in touch is through mailing lists; the number of in-person meetings varies greatly, from twice a month to twice a year.

The most important objectives of the Living Lab are (in order of frequency): the co-creation, sharing, and exchange of agroecological practices (87%); the active involvement of all actors in the food supply chain with participatory and multi-stakeholder approaches (62%); the development of land management practices (agroforestry, hedgerows, grasslands, etc.) that promote carbon sequestration (62%); the creation of a local network (62%); the adequate livelihood of farmers (including small-scale farmers) and all actors involved in the food supply chain (50%).

The actions carried out by the mapped Living Labs include research (MEBs and local varieties, soil health, agroforestry, on-farm compost production, nitrogen fixers, and cover crops), data collection, training, organization of local meetings, and the construction of local networks.

Eight out of nine are part of the European Living Lab network, and 100% are involved in one or more national or PA projects. 100% believe it could be useful to participate in networking activities at the European or national level.

CONCLUSIONS

ALLs can be an excellent model for implementing the ecological transition, especially in terms of exchanging experiences and knowledge and raising awareness, in particular if participants are motivated, their real needs are addressed, different levels of involvement are allowed, and concrete results are achieved.

The mapping of ALLs reveals that the current state of Italian ALLs is still quite recent. The number is relatively low but well distributed among the north, centre and south of Italy. Within the participants there is a domination of researchers, explained by the fact that all of them have been supported by the Agroecology Partnership within projects. However, the main focus and goal of the 9 ALLs is the co-creation, sharing and exchange of knowledge of agroecological practices, showing that there is a strong need for both social and technical issues.

It is important to emphasize that the involvement and role of institutions and policymakers within ALLs is of great importance and that targeted support is needed, especially in critical moments, to capitalize on opportunities or overcome difficulties.

References

Gliessman, S. R. (2006). Agroecology: The ecology of sustainable food systems (2nd ed.). CRC Press.

Rastorgueva, N., Bassignana, C. F., Angarita, E., Fasso, A., Hassink, J., Goris, M., … Migliorini, P. (2025). Agroecological Living Labs as entry points for transition towards sustainable food systems: a novel framework for the evaluation of living labs at different scales. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2477215

Stone, T. F., Alami, S., Bach, J. L., Bindelle, J., Busse, M., Ciaccia, C., … Berg, T. R. (2026). Agroecology Living Labs to transform food systems: a critical review at the science-policy-society nexus in Europe. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 50(6), 1271–1312. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2560915

Suzanne M. Marselis, S. Emilia Hannula, Krijn B. Trimbos, Matty P. Berg, Paul L.E. Bodelier, Steven A.J. Declerck, Jan Willem Erisman, Eiko E. Kuramae, Andreea Nanu, G. F. (Ciska) Veen, Maarten van 't Zelfde, Maarten Schrama (2024) The use of living labs to advance agro-ecological theory in the transition towards sustainable land use: A tale of two polders, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Volume 108, 2024, 107588, ISSN 0195-9255, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2024.107588.

https://www.agroecology-europe-hub.org/en/home

ABSTRACT. The aim of this study is to recognize education as a strategic driver in the development of transformative competences aligned with the principles of agroecology, understood as an integrated paradigm capable of connecting ecological, social, and economic dimensions and guiding the transition toward sustainable agri-food systems. Building on these premises, the study aims to investigate whether, to what extent, and in what ways agroecological principles are integrated into the educational pathways of Italian agricultural technical and vocational schools, through a national mapping and the analysis of the Three-Year Educational Plans (PTOF), which represent key instruments of educational planning within school autonomy in Italy. The study adopts a descriptive-exploratory approach, based on the use of official data from the national education system, published by Italian Ministry of Education’s open data portal (MIM, 2025). These data enabled the identification and selection of both public and private technical and vocational agricultural education tracks. Subsequently a qualitative analysis of the PTOFs was conducted through a structured set of keywords related to agroecological principles, such as sustainability, biodiversity, natural resource management, systemic approaches, and co-creation of knowledge. Overall, 472 public and 13 private education tracks were identified and were analysed 218 PTOFs from pubblic schools and 10 PTOFs from private schools. The analysis of the PTOFs made it possible to identify only two documents that explicitly mentioned the term “agroecology” Conversely, in the remaining PTOFs, agroecology emerged more indirectly through the keywords as “agroecological transition”, or through the integration of its principles into educational content. The results highlight a widespread distribution of agricultural schools across the national territory, confirming their strategic role in training future professionals in the agri-food sector. However, an uneven integration of agroecological content within curricula emerges, often mediated by related themes such as environmental sustainability, organic farming, and education for sustainable development. Agroecology, in its systemic and transdisciplinary dimension, is rarely explicitly adopted as a theoretical and methodological framework and is more frequently addressed in a partial or sectoral manner. The inclusion of such content in educational plans appears to depend largely on the initiative of individual schools or the sensitivity of teachers and school leaders, resulting in a marked fragmentation of the educational offer. However, the critical analysis of individual PTOF was not without its challenges, as obtaining them proved difficult, despite the legal obligation for educational institutions to publish them and make them accessible. In conclusion, the findings confirm the lack of full institutionalization of agroecology within Italian school curricula, while at the same time highlighting the crucial role of the education system as a lever for agroecological transition. This calls for strengthening curricular integration through the explicit recognition of agroecology within educational pathways, promoting structured initial and in-service teacher training, and enhancing participatory and interdisciplinary teaching methodologies. In this perspective, schools can be understood as transformative spaces capable of fostering both technical and transversal competences, enabling learners to actively contribute to the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems.

References:

Ferguson, B. G., Morales, H., Chung, K., & Nigh, R. (2019). Scaling out agroecology from the school garden: the importance of culture, food, and place. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 43(7-8), 724-743. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2019.1591565 Francis, C., Nicolaysen, A. M., Lieblein, G., & Breland, T. A. (2020). Transformative education in agroecology: student, teacher, and client involvement in colearning. Int. J. Agric. Nat. Resour. 47(3):280-294. https://doi.org/10.7764/ijanr.v47i3.2262 Migliorini, P., & Lieblein, G. (2016). Facilitating transformation and competence development in sustainable agriculture university education: An experiential and action-oriented approach. Sustainability, 8(12), 1243. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121243 MIM – Ministero dell’Istruzione e del Merito. Portale Unico dei Dati della Scuola https://dati.istruzione.it/opendata/opendata/ (last accessed: november 2025) Veckalne, R., & Tambovceva, T. (2022). The role of digital transformation in education in promoting sustainable development. Virtual Economics, 5(4), 65-86. https://doi.org/10.34021/ve.2022.05.04(4) Wezel, A., Herren, B. G., Kerr, R. B., Barrios, E., Gonçalves, A. L. R., & Sinclair, F. (2020). Agroecological principles and elements and their implications for transitioning to sustainable food systems. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 40, 40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-020-00646-z

ABSTRACT. Introduction – Planning and building resilient and sustainable agricultural systems depend not only on land management, but also on the existing infrastructural, biophysical, socioeconomic, and technological contexts surrounding agriculture. Recent global analyses indicate the rapid expansion of greenhouse, irrigation, and photovoltaic (PV) area in agricultural areas. As photovoltaic (PV) projects continue to increases on and around cropland, there is a need to understand how this PV-cropland integration can develop across heterogenous agricultural contexts. This study aimed to 1) characterize empirically the EU contexts in which agriculture infrastructure already occur, 2) use those contexts to identify distinct electrification-relevant archetypes, 3) describe the presence and intenstiy of organic agriculture within EU agricultural contexts, and 4) examine current and future water stress as a driver for sustainable electrifcation and infrastructure development in EU agricultural areas.

Methods – The study was performed by harmonizing multiple geospatial datasets across the EU and applying a cluster analysis (k-means) to identify recurrent contexts using predictors relevant to cropland electrification. This analysis captured the biophysical, economic, technological, demographic, and structural dimensions related to agricultural infrastructure and potential electrification. Building on the clustering, we profiled the distribution and intensity of existing agricultural activities and actions, such as organic agriculture, irrigation, greenhouses, and PV on or near cropland, on the resulting distinct agricultural contexts. Baseline water stress conditions within watersheds (water availability and depletion across sectors) was comapred across the agricultural contexts, agricultural factors and organic agriculture cover.

Data – The analysis integrated and harmonized global datasets from approximately 2015-2025 to the spatial resolution and used the Eurostat agricultural census data (2020) for agriculture management types and socioeconomic conditions. The clustering predictor variables included terrain ruggedness, aridity, PV potential (solar-climatic and technological assessment), distance to electrical grids, population density, travel time to cities, travel time to ports, GDP per capita (PPP), and economic farm size. Agricultural activity profiling variables included agriculture area, irrigible area, organic area, greenhouse area, installed PV area on/near agriculture, and agriculture types (arable, permanent, grassland, fallow).

Results and discussion – The analysis identified a set of distinct and recurring agricultural contexts that were categorized into archetypes. These contexts differ across environmental, socioeconomic, technological accessibility, and topographic settings that shape infrastructure contexts beyond geographic distances. Results from the Kruswal-Wallis tests indicated strong correlations between agriculture types and irrigation to context dependence. Organic agriculture showed weak context dependence. Greenhouse cover showed weaker context dependence with high intensity clustering at specific sites. Installed PV on/near agriculture did not follow the same patterns and may suggest that policies and institutional forces are influencing PV deployment beyond the structural variables in our study.

The emerging typology form the cluster analysis includes archetypes that are characterized by: 1) hilly and mountainous areas, mostly humid grassland, has the highest percent of organic area of total agriculture, less grid connected, high PV potential; 2) high PV potential, arid, water stressed, holds most of EU permenent crop area, greenhouse cover, and high percent of installed PV on/near agricultural areas; 3) lower GDP/capita and low economic farm size, arable and grassland landscapes, lower relative organic cover; and 4) higher GDP/capita (PPP), holds the biggest share of EU agricultural area, higher economic farm size, lower PV potential, but holds high area amount of installed PV near agricultural areas. These results suggest that sustainable electrification and integration would face different constraints and opportunities across and within the archetypes. This indicates that planning for sustainable electrification with PV (or other renewables) across EU agriculture will require context and site-specific planning and coordination.

Current baseline water stress and future projections demonstrated an unequal distribution across clusters. Contexts concentrated in Southern Europe held most of water stressed areas now and in the future; however, increased future water stress was projected across the other contexts in different degrees. Organic agricultural area shows higher exposure to high water stress conditions compared to non-organic and the gap is projected to widen. Irrigible area and intensity is found to be correlated with baseline water stress, whereas organic cover, greenhouses, and installed PV do not show strong statistical trends with regard to water stress categories. This may suggest that irrigation expansion would be expected to increase as an adaptation measure; whereas, other targeted strategies such as PV or greenhouses would require more deliberate intervention for development.

Conclusion – This study provides a typology of EU agricultural contexts relevant to integrating sustainable electrification, infrastructure, and renewable energy into agricultural systems. For organic and other forms of agriculture, infrastructure and sustainable energy integration depends on a mix of accessibility, environmental conditions and structure, and socioeconomic and institutional forces. The niches within and across agricultural contexts highlight some of the potential trade-offs in developing electrified farm systems such as agrivoltaics, PV-greenhouses, or decentralized systems. Higher water stress exposure on organic agricultural areas comapred to other areas highlights a need to consider all available approaches for continued sustainable management and future development. While the typology provides an overview of EU food systems and sustainability, each of these interventions requires further analysis and site-specific in-depth analysis and planning.

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ABSTRACT. Introduction Effective food safety and plant health standards are central to protecting human health, the environment, and the sustainability of agri-food systems (Akinwehinmi et al., 2022), while enabling international trade, increasingly challenged by climate change, economic volatility, and geopolitical instability (Fuso Nerini et al., 2019; Li et al., 2025). Strengthening sustainability and ensuring food security are essential goals (Barrett, 2010; Tendall et al., 2015; Kuiper & Cui, 2021) yet challenged by the coexistence of traditional and organic farms. This conflict is particular evident in trade standards: MRLs for pesticides are essential for consumer protection and intended to facilitate trade between countries. The stringency of EU MRLs is criticized by producers in third countries for increasing compliance burdens. On the other hand, EU stakeholders call for even stricter MRLs. The use (or non-use) of chemicals has important implications for both the organic and conventional sectors. We review the existing knowledge on MRLs and trade to answer a precise research question: how divergences in trade regulations affect conventional and organic sectors?

Methods: A Critical Literature Review We perform a critical literature review using the PRISMA protocol. By mean of a structured search of evidence, we collect studies on both conventional and organic produce. The methodology consists of four stages: Identification, Screening, Eligibility, and Inclusion. All stages have been followed to ensure having a legitimate and representative set of studies, conclusive of the extant scientific evidence on chemical use, standards and trade.

Data Our review covers studies published in, in the last two decades (period 2000-2026), in peer-reviewed journals indexed in Scopus and ISI. We limit the search to peer reviewed studies, excluding the grey literature. The literature review is focused in both OECD e non-OECD countries. Unpublished manuscripts and articles published in low-level journals (i.e. non-indexed and Q4 journals) have been excluded for our critical review.

Discussion Resilient food systems emerge from interconnected ecological, economic, and socio-cultural drivers. However, the integration is often challenged by divergences in standards. As such, policy dialogue is central to shaping resilient agri-food systems. We found that the impacts of MRLs are heterogenous across countries and may have important implications for the production and trade of organic and conventional produce. These findings will feed the current debate on the Vision for Agriculture and Food and its implementation via regulatory changes.

Conclusion Strengthening sustainability requires regulations that favor productivity while limiting the use of hazardous substances. Coordinated action across stakeholders and improved alignment of the regulatory frameworks are essential to enhance the growth of the organic sector. The study has several limitations. First it relies on a relatively limited number of studies, although this is due to the magnitude of extant literature. Second, the studies adopt heterogenous methodologies, somehow undermining comparability. Third, any literature review is, by its very nature, backward looking, lacking counterfactual and prospective analyses. This implies the recommendations we can derive form this exercise should be taken with caution.

Selected references Akinwehinmi, O., Ogundari, K., & Amos, T. T. (2022). Consumers’ food control risk perception and preference for food safety certification in emerging food markets. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 73(3), 690–708. Barrett, C. B. (2010). Measuring food insecurity. Science, 327(5967), 825–828. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1182768 Fuso Nerini, F., Sovacool, B., Hughes, N., Cozzi, L., Cosgrave, E., Howells, M., et al. (2019). Connecting climate action with other Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability, 2(8), 674–680. Kuiper, M., & Cui, H. D. (2021). Using food loss reduction to reach food security and environmental objectives: A search for promising leverage points. Food Policy, 98, 101915. Li, X., Guo, H., Cheng, G., Song, X., Ran, Y., Feng, M., et al. (2025). Polar regions are critical in achieving global sustainable development goals. Nature Communications, 16, 3879. Tendall, D. M., Joerin, J., Kopainsky, B., Edwards, P., Shreck, A., Le, Q. B., et al. (2015). Food system resilience: Defining the concept. Global Food Security, 6, 17–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2015.08.001

ABSTRACT. 1. Introduction This paper aims to assess the sustainability level of Sicilian citrus farms by comparing the conventional and the organic production systems. In particular, companies engaged in the cultivation of blood oranges were included in the study. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the two types of citrus farms by assessing their sustainability level through the analysis of SAFA indicators; (2) to identify the difficulties in terms of sustainability performance for each of the two types of farming in order to suggest the adoption of certain practices to improve the sustainability level of the systems considered. 2. Materials and Methods This study employed a questionnaire-based methodology using the SAFA framework, with the aim of assessing sustainability on the farm among a sample of organic and conventional farmers engaged in blood orange production. The analysis utilized an innovative methodological approach, as it adapted the SAFA method—normally applied to organizations—to small farms. Consequently, the number of questions was reduced to 91, divided into 5 sections, designed to measure a total of 88 indicators. The set of indicators covered the four dimensions of sustainability, comprising 8 indicators for the governance dimension, 34 indicators for the environmental dimension, 31 indicators for the economic dimension, and 15 indicators for the social dimension. The methodology applied made it possible to obtain a multi-level, metric view of the various dimensions of sustainability specifically tailored to farms. The sample analyzed consisted of 200 farms, equally divided between conventional and organic operations, selected through stratified sampling based on farm size, management type, and location, in order to ensure an effective comparison and to be representative of the production environment under consideration

3. Results The results provide an overview of the sustainability levels for each of the four SAFA dimensions of the organic and conventional group allowing to make a comparison. The study analyses all four dimensions (Good Governance, Environmental Integrity, Economic Resilience, Social Well-Being) highlighting the overlap and the difference characterizing both categories. The differences pertain to the following five themes: the theme “Holistic Management” (G5) within the “Governance” dimension and the “Biodiversity” theme (E4) within the “Environment” dimension receive higher scores for the organic group; conversely, the “Atmosphere” (E1) and “Materials and Energy” (E5) themes within the environmental dimension and the “Investments” theme (C1) within the economic dimension show more favorable scores for the conventional group. As for the social dimension, no clear differences are observed, indicating an equivalent level of performance with respect to social sustainability. In both cases, no theme is rated as “unacceptable.” Therefore, the SAFA tool indicates that both groups demonstrate good sustainability performance, without identifying whether one type of production system potentially outperforms the other in terms of sustainability performance. 4. Discussion This study presents an analysis of the sustainability of organic and conventional blood orange farms in Sicily. A comprehensive assessment was developed encompassing four dimensions of sustainability in accordance with the SAFA Guidelines. The economic dimension merits further reflection, as it appears to be the most sensitive aspect for farmers. Although both organic and conventional farms demonstrated commendable overall performance, the majority expressed concerns regarding their lack of bargaining power when selling their products. Conclusions The present study aimed to assess the sustainability level of organic and conventional farms involved in the production of Sicilian blood oranges to eventually identify potential issues to bring to the attention of policy makers who could develop strategies to enhance sustainability performance. The four dimensions of sustainability - governance, environmental, economic, and social - were evaluated and analysed for the two groups of farms to ascertain any significant differences between organic and conventional production. The results demonstrated that no notable discrepancies were identified, although the organic farms exhibited a slight superiority in the environmental dimension. A number of recommended actions for enhancing the overall sustainability performance have been identified.

ABSTRACT. Introduction As Mauritius transitions from a sugarcane monocrop economy to a more diversified agricultural system, the country faces growing pressure to ensure food security, sustainability, and product safety. Although fresh vegetable production achieves relative self-sufficiency, Mauritius remains dependent on imports for many food items. Rising consumer concerns about agrochemicals have increased interest in organic produce, yet the absence of a national organic label limits market differentiation and creates uncertainty for both consumers and producers. This study addresses this gap by investigating how a national organic logo can function as a credible quality signal and reduce information asymmetry, drawing on signaling theory (Spence, 1973). The aim is to identify stakeholder preferences for potential logo designs, explore key perception dimensions, and uncover patterns of shared viewpoints that inform evidence-based logo development. Methods We apply Q methodology to systematically capture stakeholder perceptions of potential national organic logos (Stephenson, 1935). This approach is specifically suited to studying subjective viewpoints, enabling the identification of shared perspectives in how individuals evaluate different types of stimuli, whether textual or visual (Chung and Kinsey, 2019). A set of 36 candidate logos was developed, categorized into three conceptual dimensions: (i) sustainability and nature-oriented signals, (ii) institutional credibility and trust cues, and (iii) social or ethical messaging. Approximately 20–30 stakeholders will rank the logos according to their own viewpoint, based on how well each design represents the concept of an organic logo, from the most to the least suitable. Participants will also provide qualitative comments to clarify their reasoning. Factor analysis and rotation will then be used to identify clusters of shared perspectives, revealing groups of stakeholders who prioritize similar visual and attributes. This approach allows an empirical link between subjective perceptions and signaling theory, identifying which logo characteristics are perceived as clear, credible, and trustworthy signals. Results and discussion We expect to identify distinct viewpoints among stakeholders, reflecting different interpretations of what makes an organic logo credible and effective. These perspectives will highlight the visual and informational elements most strongly associated with conveying credibility and reducing uncertainty. Logos combining clarity with institutional credibility cues are anticipated to be perceived as the most effective signals, guiding consumer choices, and shaping perceptions of organic authenticity (Hartmann et al., 2025). This research demonstrates how subjective interpretations of visual signals can be systematically analyzed to inform evidence-based logo design in a context where no national organic label currently exists. The findings are expected to contribute to the literature on food labeling, consumer trust, and sustainable marketing, while offering insights on how clearly designed visual signals can facilitate informed purchasing decisions and foster consumer confidence in local organic produce. Conclusions Developing a national organic logo in Mauritius represents a strategic opportunity to reduce information asymmetry, strengthen consumer trust, and support local organic producers in achieving greater market recognition and potential price premiums. Effective policy implementation should ensure credibility, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with market expectations. The findings offer actionable guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and industry stakeholders seeking to promote sustainable agriculture, reduce import dependence, enhance the visibility of local products, and foster growth of the organic sector in Mauritius. More broadly, this study provides a replicable framework for designing credible market signals in emerging organic markets where formal certification systems are not yet established. References Chung, A., & Kinsey, D. F. (2019). An examination of consumers’ subjective views that affect the favorability of organizational logos: an exploratory study using Q methodology. Corporate Reputation Review, 22(3), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-019-00062-4 Hartmann, M., Yeh, C.-H., Gorton, M., Tocco, B., & Török, Á. (2025). Enhancing sustainability label effectiveness through logo design modification: An analysis of the EU Green Leaf logo. Institute for Food and Resource Economics, University of Bonn; Newcastle University Business School; Corvinus University of Budapest Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87, 355–374. Stephenson, W. (1935). Technique of factor analysis. Nature, 136(3434), 297–297. https://doi.org/10.1038/136297b0

ABSTRACT. Climate-Adaptive Legume Production in Organic Horticulture: On-Farm Evidence from Hungary Orsolya Papp1, Anna Divéky-Ertsey1, Dóra Drexler1 1 Hungarian Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (ÖMKi), Hungary

Introduction Climate change has reduced the yield stability of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Hungary, mainly due to impaired flower fertilisation under decreasing air humidity (Rainey & Griffiths, 2005). This highlights the need to explore alternative legume species and cultivation strategies that can enhance resilience, diversify crop rotations, and broaden the product range in organic horticulture (Vadez et al., 2012). Methods An on-farm participatory research project was conducted between 2024 and 2025 across 11 organic horticultural farms in 7 Hungarian counties. Farms were selected to represent a diversity of pedoclimatic conditions and production approaches, including market gardening systems. A total of 12 alternative legume vegetable species were evaluated; species and technology selection varied across farms based on local conditions and farmer priorities. Trials were implemented under open-field and unheated plastic tunnel conditions across peak and off-season production periods. Farmer knowledge exchange and joint evaluation were integral to the research design. Data Primary data consisted of farmer-generated crop production records and qualitative observations collected during the growing seasons, including crop performance and management practices. Data has been complied and were systematically reviewed and discussed during annual farmer meetings, enabling cross-validation and collective interpretation. Results and Discussion Three key findings emerged. First, climate adaptation is strongly mediated by production timing: several species enable “summer-avoiding” strategies, where early spring sowing and overwintering reduce exposure to mid-summer heat and low humidity stress. Second, sensitivity to low air humidity during flowering constitutes a key physiological limitation for certain species, particularly common bean and soybean, constraining their reliability under current climatic conditions. Third, species differ in agronomic stability and economic potential, allowing a distinction between subsistence-oriented crops and those suitable for commercial production. These results indicate that resilience is shaped by the interaction between species traits, sowing strategies, and site-specific conditions, rather than by species choice alone, highlighting the importance of context-adapted management in organic systems. Conclusions Expanding legume diversity and adapting cultivation technologies can enhance the climate resilience of organic horticultural systems in Hungary. This supports more stable production, strengthens the role of legumes in crop rotations, and contributes to agroecological transition pathways based on diversification and adaptive management. References Rainey, K. M., & Griffiths, P. D. (2005). Differential response of common bean genotypes to high temperature. (1), 18–23. DOI: 10.21273/JASHS.130.1.18 Vadez, V., Berger, J. D., Warkentin, T., Asseng, S., Ratnakumar, P., Rao, K. P. C., Gaur, P. M., Munier-Jolain, N., Larmure, A., Voisin, A.-S., Sharma, H. C., Pande, S., Sharma, M., Krishnamurthy, L., & Zaman-Allah, M. (2012). Adaptation of grain legumes to climate change: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 32(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-011-0020-6 Van Cauwenberghe, J., Visch, W., Michiels, J., & Honnay, O. (2016). Selection mosaics differentiate Rhizobium–host plant interactions across different nitrogen environments. Oikos, 125(12), 1755–1761. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.02952

ABSTRACT. Introduction: In Mediterranean organic systems, Soil Organic Matter (SOM) is a key lever for climate resilience under increasing drought and extreme rainfall events. However, agricultural intensification and crop–livestock decoupling are limiting SOM replenishment, threatening agroecosystem functioning (Garrett et al., 2020). At the same time, large volumes of residues such as vine prunings remain underutilized. Transforming these wastes into organic amendments represents a core strategy for circular, closed-loop organic farming systems. Earthworms act as ecosystem engineers regulating SOM incorporation, soil structure and water dynamics (Bertrand et al., 2015). However, the functional traits of endemic Mediterranean species, such as the large-bodied Hormogaster samnitica, and their responses to circular amendments remain largely unexplored. This study evaluates the short-term behavioural and functional responses of H. samnitica to composted vine prunings. Specifically, we: (i) characterize size-dependent bioturbation; (ii) assess amendment effects on earthworm activity, burrowing and soil physical properties; and (iii) compare substrate preferences with the generalist Aporrectodea caliginosa. The study provides science-based insights for regenerative and circular organic farming systems.

Methods: A mesocosm experiment was conducted using repacked soil columns amended with four organic inputs: vine pruning compost (PRUN), vine pruning compost with a commercial accelerator (COMM), vine pruning compost inoculated with indigenous microorganisms (INDG), and vermicompost from spent coffee grounds (VERM), plus an unamended control (CTRL). H. samnitica individuals (small, medium, large size classes) were introduced to assess trait-dependent effects. Soil macroporosity (volume, diameter, vertical distribution) was quantified using 3D X-ray tomography, while water infiltration was measured using a simplified Beerkan method. Earthworm activity was evaluated through weight change and casting. A two-choice test compared substrate preferences with A. caliginosa.

Data: The dataset includes 60 soil columns (30 cm depth; 10 replicates per treatment) incubated for one month under outdoor conditions. Soil (sieved to 2 mm; bulk density 1.2 g cm⁻³) originated from a French orchard, while H. samnitica specimens were collected from a long-term experiment in Italy. Measured variables included earthworm biomass change, macropore diameter and volume (stratified by depth), vertical distribution of macroporosity (barycenter), and infiltration rates (mm min⁻¹). Data were analysed using linear and generalized linear models in R, with transformations applied when required.

Results and discussion: Earthworm body size strongly influenced soil bioturbation, with larger individuals (>4 g) creating wider and deeper burrows and substantially increasing water infiltration compared to smaller earthworms (5.04 vs 0.199 mm min⁻¹). Circular amendments based on vine pruning compost (particularly COMM) significantly stimulated earthworm biomass (+22.8%) and increased macroporosity in the amended topsoil layer. However, a novel and policy-relevant trade-off emerged: despite enhanced macroporosity, compost-based amendments reduced infiltration rates compared to the control. This counterintuitive result suggests complex interactions between amendment properties (e.g. water retention, pore clogging) and soil hydraulic behaviour. Behaviourally, H. samnitica showed weak short-term substrate preferences, in contrast to the generalist A. caliginosa, which clearly favoured pruning-based composts. This indicates a more conservative functional response of endemic Mediterranean species to organic inputs.

Conclusions: H. samnitica acts as a key ecosystem engineer in Mediterranean soils, with strongly size-dependent effects on soil structure and hydrological functioning. Valorisation of vine pruning residues as compost can enhance soil biological activity and macroporosity, supporting circular and climate-resilient organic systems. From a policy perspective, these findings support CAP eco-schemes promoting circular bioeconomy and soil resilience. However, the observed short-term reduction in infiltration highlights the need for careful timing of amendment applications to avoid increased runoff risk under extreme rainfall events. Future research should validate these processes under field conditions and assess their scalability within Mediterranean organic farming systems.

References: Bertrand, M., Barot, S., Blouin, M., Whalen, J., de Oliveira, T., & Roger-Estrade, J. (2015). Earthworm services for cropping systems. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35(2), 553-567. Garrett, R. D., Ryschawy, J., Bell, L. W., Cortner, O., Ferreira, J., Garik, A. V., ... & Valentim, J. F. (2020). Drivers of decoupling and recoupling of crop and livestock systems at farm and territorial scales. Ecology and Society, 25(1), 24.

ABSTRACT. Introduction The Italian beekeeping sector is experiencing a pivotal moment. While its ecological and social value is increasingly recognised, concerns about sustainability are rising, as bees provide essential ecosystem services, including pollination, biodiversity support, and stability of agricultural systems. In recent years, both the number of beekeepers and market appreciation for hive products have grown. However, knowledge of the sector remains fragmented, particularly in the organic segment. Conventional beekeeping dominates the national arena, with 72,540 beekeepers (94.6%) managing 1.306 million hives (85%), whereas organic beekeeping involves just over 4,100 operators (5.4%) and 15% of hives. Organic honey production appears particularly vulnerable to production constraints and economic pressures. Public policies, notably the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), support the sector through supply chain investments, training, market measures, promotion of nomadism, and pollination initiatives (e.g., CMO measures, Ecoscheme 5 “Pollinators”, SRA 18 “Beekeeping”). Despite growing interest in organic apiculture, evidence on the efficiency of beekeeping systems remains limited. This study addresses this gap by comparing organic and conventional honey production in terms of costs, productivity, and economic performance. Methods A comparative approach was applied by integrating economic, technical, and environmental farm-level data. Three components were analysed: Farm structure and management, especially differences in technical models (e.g., hive density, nutritional management, seasonal mobility, health strategies); Production costs (PC), analysed at three levels ¬ Variable Costs (VC), Operating Costs (OC), and Total Costs (TC); and the Family Operating Margin (FOM), a particularly useful metric calculated as the difference between Total Farm Output (TFO) and Total Costs (TC). Comparisons between organic and conventional farms were conducted across cost components, output, and profitability. Additional analyses considered farm type (nomadic vs stationary) and economic size to assess efficiency and vulnerability. Data The Honey Cost project has been collecting structural and economic data from beekeeping farms since 2021. Farms are sampled from the National Beekeeping Database, with heterogeneity addressed through stratification by region, farm type, and size (≥8,000 euros of Standard Output, approximately 40 hives). For the years 2023–2024, the dataset comprises 768 farm-year observations (384 farms per year) representing over 6,000 professional beekeepers in the target population. The optimal allocation of farms into the strata was achieved using the Bethel method. Organic honey farms account for 27% of the total sample. Data were collected via structured questionnaires covering production, costs, labour, marketing, and mobility, with continuous quality and consistency checks. Results and discussion The findings show that organic beekeepers face lower costs mainly due to reduced expenditure on emergency feeding and health treatments. On average, organic production shows cost savings exceeding €1 per kg of honey and a productivity advantage of approximately 3 kg per hive. Positive margins are mainly observed in farms producing more than 20 kg of honey per hive and when opportunity costs of family labour are excluded. Differences between organic and conventional models arise mainly from cost structure and productivity rather than selling prices, which remain broadly similar, indicating that certification costs are not offset by a corresponding price premium. Farm size plays a key role: organic honey farms in the sample are generally larger, benefiting from economies of scale and a more efficient distribution of fixed costs. Therefore, the results may not fully apply to smaller organic honey farms, which generally face higher cost shares and lower profitability. Conclusions Organic honey farms show economic efficiency alongside vulnerability linked to productivity variability. For this reason, understanding the breakeven point between revenue and cost per unit may help beekeepers in planning investments and risk management. Study limitations include sample selection and limited temporal coverage. Nonetheless, the findings provide a sufficiently robust basis for policy implications, suggesting that targeted CAP interventions to enhance productivity, improve health management, support certification costs, and foster the market valorisation of organic honey could strengthen the profitability and resilience of the sector, especially among small-scale and marginal farms. References Bethel, J. (1989). Sample Allocation in Multivariate Surveys. Survey Methodology, 15(1), 47–57. Cardillo, C., Giampaolo, A., & Verrascina, M. (2025). Honey Cost: An experimental approach for determining the production costs of honey. Proceedings, 117, 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025117002 CREA. (2025). Annuario dell’agricoltura italiana 2024 (Vol. LXXVIII). https://www.crea.gov.it/documents/68457/0/Annuario2024_Vol_LXXVIII.pdf. Kostyukova, E. I., Manzhosova, I. B., & Frolov, A. V. (2022). Features of cost accounting and calculation of the cost of production of honey-pollinating direction of beekeeping. Accounting in Agriculture, 1. https://doi.org/10.33920/sel-11-2201-03 Rete Rurale Nazionale. (2024). Bioreport 2023: L’agricoltura biologica in Italia. MASAF. https://www.reterurale.it/Bioreport2023

ABSTRACT. Introduction Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector worldwide, but its rapid expansion raises concerns related to environmental sustainability, ecosystem resilience, and resource use. Within the framework of the EU policies, organic aquaculture (OA) has been identified as a promising pathway to reconcile aquatic food production with environmental protection, animal welfare, and sustainable consumption. However, despite increasing policy attention and market interest, the long-term development of OA remains uncertain due to complex interactions among regulatory frameworks, technological innovation, environmental constraints, and market dynamics. Methods This study applies a participatory foresight methodology combining stakeholder engagement and qualitative scenario analysis to explore potential futures for OA in Europe. The methodological framework was implemented in the following stages. First, a stakeholder engagement process was conducted involving representatives from key sectors of the aquaculture system. Through structured workshops and facilitated discussions, participants contributed to identifying the main drivers influencing the development of OA. Second, a driver-based scenario analysis was conducted to identify the most influential and uncertain factors shaping future sectoral development. The most critical drivers were combined into a scenario matrix defined by two main axes: (i) the strength of policy and regulatory support for sustainable aquaculture and (ii) the level of technological and market innovation. The intersection of these dimensions generated four alternative scenarios describing plausible development trajectories for OA in Europe. Finally, each scenario was elaborated through qualitative narratives to illustrate potential implications for production systems, environmental sustainability, supply chain organization, and socio-economic outcomes. Results and discussion The scenario analysis highlights four possible futures: In Weak EU, global polarisation between West and East deepens inequalities in resources and opportunities. Food choices favour convenience over sustainability, while conflicts over water allocation persist. Governance is influenced mainly by corporate interests and fragmented EU regulations. Competing sustainability standards and high production costs slow the development of OA, leaving the sector marginal and vulnerable to greenwashing, with weak lobbying and limited knowledge systems. In Green and Fair, the EU becomes more protectionist but economically strong. Public investment in water infrastructure and reuse supports sustainable production, and consumers favour certified organic and healthy food. OA expands through coordinated EU regulations, cooperative supply chains and economies of scale. Despite declining fishery resources, improved efficiency and slightly lower premiums allow profitability, although specialised research and advisory systems for the organic sector remain insufficient. In Big Mac Organic, global population growth drives strong demand for aquatic products, and OA emerges as a key solution. Production becomes concentrated in large vertically integrated companies relying on automation and global trade. Diverse “green” standards risk confusing consumers, while NGOs play a role in advocacy. Trade agreements diversify products but national regulations create uneven competition, and small producers face difficulties accessing markets. Finally, Gloomy depicts a scenario of European autarky with limited imports and declining purchasing power. Consumers prioritise low prices over sustainability, leaving OA as a small niche. The sector remains weak and inefficient, certification schemes lose relevance, NGOs disappear, and distributors dominate market decisions while farmers and consumers have little influence. Conclusions Participatory scenario analysis provides a valuable decision-support tool for addressing uncertainties and guiding strategic planning in emerging sustainable food sectors. The findings suggest that coordinated policy frameworks, investment in innovation, and stakeholder collaboration will be essential to support the development of OA in Europe. Strengthening these enabling conditions could allow the sector to contribute significantly to sustainable food systems, biodiversity protection, and the objectives of European sustainability strategies. Selected References FAO. (2024). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2024. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd0683en Gambelli, D., Vairo, D., Solfanelli, F., & Zanoli, R. (2019). Economic performance of organic aquaculture: A systematic review. Marine Policy, 108, 103542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103542 van Notten, P. W. F., Rotmans, J., van Asselt, M. B. A., & Rothman, D. S. (2003). An updated scenario typology. Futures, 35(5), 423–443. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-3287(02)00090-3

ABSTRACT. Introduction The European Union is currently promoting the development of organic aquaculture. The support for this is reflected in policies at both the European and national levels (Toomey et al., 2025). Despite significant growth in the last decade, primarily driven by organic mussel production, the sector continues to face substantial technical and regulatory challenges and the total volume of certified organic fish remains marginal compared with conventional aquaculture. This gap suggests that significant structural, technical, and economic barriers still constrain the growth of the organic sector. The aim of this study, that was promoted by the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), was to identify the technical and economic challenges of implementing the EU organic regulation on fish farming and to propose technical and policy recommendations., focusing specifically on European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Methods A two-stage investigation was conducted. First, a questionnaire was sent to feed or fish producers (n = 1 feed producer and n = 9 fish producers, respectively) who are members of FEAP, used to/currently produce organic fish and are based in eight EU countries. The questionnaire was designed to include key topics corresponding to the main barriers to the development of organic aquaculture in the literature. More specifically, the questionnaire was structured to get global information on the farm (e.g. organic certification, species produced), to score the main barriers and to get more details on challenges related to feed ingredients, juvenile supply, fish health controls, general farm management and policy barriers. It included both quantitative scoring of barriers and open-ended questions to gain an overview of the challenges encountered. Following the questionnaire, 1-hour follow-up interviews were conducted to explore the initial answers provided in the questionnaire in greater depth, as well as the reasons behind the specific situations they face and the strategies they adopt to mitigate their constraints. A scoring exercise was also carried out during the interviews to identify major challenges. Quantitative scores (from 1 [not a challenge] to 10 [critical challenge]) were summarised and visualised through figures produced using the software R. Qualitative responses were arranged thematically to provide supporting explanations and examples and compared to literature. Results The study revealed a consistent pattern among respondents in identifying core obstacles to the organic aquaculture development. Two interlinked themes emerged across countries and species: organic feed and juvenile supply. The highest mean scores among fish farmers were attributed to problems relating to certified organic feed, followed closely by issues linked to the supply of certified juveniles, as well as market and demand factors. However, there are differences in the priority of challenges across species, with the top challenge being juveniles in sea bass and seabream, feed in rainbow trout, market demand in common carp, and policy and regulation in Atlantic salmon. Looking at the top 12 of challenges identified across species, the top three regards feed challenges, with the cost identified as very high and limiting profitability, the availability of high-quality certified organic feeds being limited, particularly for the farming of new species or first-life stages, and also due to the limited number of organic feed suppliers. The availability of certified juveniles emerged as the second most critical limitation, especially for Mediterranean species for which producers consistently reported difficulties in obtaining certified juveniles (scarce certified hatcheries) in sufficient quantities or at the appropriate time for stocking. The absence of a reliable, updated, centralised database of organic fry suppliers further impede planning and production stability. Market-related constraints also represent a major structural weakness of the sector. Many farms operate with narrow margins, and the limited price premium for organic products fails to compensate for the higher input costs. Even in markets where organic fish is available, consumer awareness remains low, and retailers often fail to differentiate organic products through branding or pricing. These challenges were also acknowledged by feed producers, who see limited growth potential without stronger downstream incentives. Conclusion The findings indicate that the organic fish farming sector is constrained by a combination of intertwined technical, economic, and regulatory barriers, with species specific challenges. In order to realise its potential as a pillar of sustainable food production, policy action must address the root causes of these constraints. Reforming the supply chains for organic feed and juveniles, allowing the regulatory framework to be more flexible and reinforcing consumer engagement will be key to transforming organic aquaculture from a niche sector into a mainstream player in sustainable food production. Future research should aim at addressing these key bottlenecks.

Toomey et al. (2025). Unlocking the Potential of Organic Aquaculture in the EU: A Review of Policy Support and Supporting and Constraining Factors. Rev. in Aquac. 17(4): e70089.

ABSTRACT. Introduction The European Union’s Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy aims to transform food systems by improving sustainability while ensuring food security and fair income for farmers. A central objective is to reach 25% of agricultural land under organic management by 2030. However, trend projections based on data on organic Utilised Agricultural Area suggest that, under business-as-usual conditions, the organic share is likely to stabilise between roughly 12% and 19%, remaining well below the F2F target. This gap highlights the need to explore alternative transition pathways for the organic sector. This study investigates how the target could still be achieved by analysing key drivers shaping the future of organic farming in the EU through a participatory foresight exercise involving sector stakeholders. Methods The study adopts a normative qualitative scenario approach combining desk research, expert elicitation and stakeholder engagement. A preliminary list of drivers affecting the organic sector was identified through literature review on agri-food megatrends. Twenty experts representing research institutions, farmers, processors, distributors, NGOs and advisory systems participated in the process. Drivers were evaluated through a two-round Delphi survey assessing impact and uncertainty. Results were analysed through an Impact–Uncertainty Analysis to identify the most relevant drivers. A two-day participatory workshop then brought stakeholders together to co-develop internally consistent scenarios through morphological analysis and storytelling. During the workshop, participants worked in facilitated groups that explored both supply-driven and demand-driven perspectives. Through iterative discussion and cross-group review, stakeholders refined the scenario storylines and evaluated their plausibility and desirability. Results The participatory process produced four alternative scenarios: Green Public Policy, Divergent Pathways for the Organic Sector, Organic on Every Table, and Organic Power to the People. Green Public Policy describes a policy-driven transition supported by environmental governance and incentives for conversion. Divergent Pathways for the Organic Sector depicts a fragmented development characterised by uneven policy commitment and regional disparities. Organic on Every Table represents a future where organic becomes mainstream through strong consumer demand, public procurement and supply chain engagement. Organic Power to the People illustrates a bottom-up transformation driven by citizen mobilisation, NGOs and consumer pressure. Across scenarios, key drivers include public procurement, large retail chain involvement, farm-gate price differentials, political climate toward organic farming, and capacity building within organic NGOs. The scenario exercise emphasised the value of participatory foresight of stakeholders in contexts characterised by uncertainty and complex socio-ecological interactions. The participatory approach improved the robustness and legitimacy of the resulting scenarios. Results from the evaluation sessions suggest that scenarios characterised by strong collaboration between policy institutions, market actors and civil society are perceived as the most desirable and plausible pathways for achieving the F2F objective. In particular, scenarios that combine supportive public policies with active market demand and stakeholder cooperation appear more capable of sustaining long-term expansion of organic farming. Conversely, fragmented governance and weak stakeholder coordination risk slowing the transition and generating uneven regional development across the European Union. The analysis also included evaluation of stakeholders’ roles within each scenario, highlighting the relative influence of farmers, processors, retailers, consumers and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems. This approach allowed not only to describe possible futures but also to map governance dynamics and power relations shaping organic transition.

Conclusions The analysis confirms that current trajectories are insufficient to reach the 25% organic target. Achieving the objective requires systemic change combining coherent policy frameworks, resilient supply chains and strong societal engagement. The participatory scenario process highlights the strategic role of stakeholders in identifying feasible transition pathways and reinforces the importance of inclusive governance in shaping the future of organic agriculture in Europe. References Börjeson, L., Höjer, M., Dreborg, K. H., Ekvall, T., & Finnveden, G. (2006). Scenario types and techniques: Towards a user’s guide. Futures, 38(7), 723–739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2005.12.002 FAO. (2022). The future of food and agriculture – Drivers and triggers for transformation. In The future of food and agriculture (Vol. 3). FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc0959en