The Progress towards Sustainable Agriculture initiative (PROSA) is a framework that seeks to complement ongoing efforts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and particularly indicator 2.4.1, to support country-level assessments using data already available at the national level. Making agriculture more sustainable – productive, environmentally friendly, resilient and profitable is fundamental, as agriculture remains the main source of livelihood for the majority of the world’s poor and hungry. The pathway towards sustainable agriculture must ensure increasing output, but also make more efficient use of increasingly scarce global resources, be resilient to and help mitigate climate change, and improve human well-being. This technical study examines the key factors driving changes in trends in the indicators of sustainable agriculture and provides decision-makers with insights into viable options for achieving this goal. The study identifies five key groups of drivers that most influence these indicators globally. The ways in which each driver affects the multiple dimensions of sustainability highlights the interconnections, synergies and trade-offs that must be managed in different global contexts to achieve agricultural sustainability. The analysis can help decision-makers operating in different country contexts to identify practical solutions to ensure that their interventions contribute positively to a more sustainable agriculture.

Continued population growth, rapidly changing consumption patterns and the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are driving limited resources of food, energy, water and materials towards critical thresholds worldwide. These pressures are likely to be substantial across Africa, where countries will have to find innovative ways to boost crop and livestock production to avoid becoming more reliant on imports and food aid. Sustainable agricultural intensification - producing more output from the same area of land while reducing the negative environmental impacts - represents a solution for millions of African farmers. This volume presents the lessons learned from 40 sustainable agricultural intensification programmes in 20 countries across Africa, commissioned as part of the UK Government's Foresight project. Through detailed case studies, the authors of each chapter examine how to develop productive and sustainable agricultural systems and how to scale up these systems to reach many more millions of people in the future. Themes covered include crop improvements, agroforestry and soil conservation, conservation agriculture, integrated pest management, horticulture, livestock and fodder crops, aquaculture, and novel policies and partnerships.

This book provides a synthesis of the key issues and challenges facing agriculture and food production in Southern Africa. Southern Africa is facing numerous challenges from diverse issues such as agricultural transformations, growing populations, urbanization and climate change. These challenges place great pressure on food security, agriculture, water availability and other natural resources, as well as impacting biodiversity. Drawing on case studies from Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the chapters in this book consider these challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering key areas in constraints to production, the most important building blocks of good farming practices, and established and emerging technologies. This book will be a valuable support for informing new policies and processes aimed at improving food production and security and developing sustainable agriculture in Southern Africa. This informative volume will be key reading for those interested in agricultural science, African studies, rural studies, development studies and sustainability. It will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and agricultural practitioners. This title has been made available as Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CCBY-NC-ND) license and can be accessed here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429401701

Together with Future Food Institute (FFI), FAO’s elearning Academy marked the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with a 24-hour multilingual digital global marathon on sustainability. Entitled “Food for Earth,“ the event brought together a diverse group of experts for a discussion on how sustainable food systems can play a transformative role in the way we live, and the impact we have on the planet. The publication aims at gathering all the multilingual work sessions spread out across the globe, all focused on the regenerative power of food systems. The online discussions moved from east to west, with the first sessions held in China, Japan and India, before moving on to the Middle East, Russian Federation, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Participants even had a chance to connect with Antarctica during one of the sessions, when scientists based at Concordia Research Station on the Antarctic Plateau joined in. The event featured participants from a number of backgrounds, providing diverse perspectives on how the transformation of food systems can play an important role in the health of the planet. Indigenous peoples, entrepreneurs, scientists, journalists, young leaders, policymakers and farmers all contributed. The marathon brought together more than 100 expert voices, who were joined by more than 100 000 viewers worldwide throughout the day.

This synthesis report for the regional workshop for Africa on "A new approach for mainstreaming Sustainable Food and Agriculture in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals" provides an overview of the presentations, a brief report on the discussions, and summaries of the conclusions.

This volume is a ready reference on sustainable agriculture and reinforce the understanding for its utilization to develop environmentally sustainable and profitable food production systems. It describes ecological sustainability of farming systems, present innovations for improving efficiency in the use of resources for sustainable agriculture and propose technological options and new areas of research in this very important area of agriculture.

This book outlines an analytical framework to further the analysis of agri-environmental linkages and sustainable agriculture. It describes the main environmental concepts in agriculture of relevance to OECD policy-makers and the indicators that need to be calculated.

Green Innovation in Central and Eastern Europe aims to explore the crucial role of green innovation in guiding organisations towards sustainable development amidst contemporary environmental challenges. It comprehensively examines the concept of the green economy, highlighting its essential features and its significance in promoting organisational sustainability. The study delves into the global state of green economy development, analysing trends in renewable energy, circular economy practices, and green technology innovations. Additionally, it investigates the role of international organisations in supporting the green economy and its impact on global trade and business opportunities. The monograph also addresses strategic planning processes that enable enterprises to integrate sustainability goals into their business strategies, with a focus on social and environmental aspects. It evaluates recycling as a central component of the circular economy, considering its economic and environmental impacts, and underscores the importance of green leadership in fostering a sustainable organisational culture through ethical decision-making and environmental considerations. The book will cater to a diverse audience, including professionals, researchers, policymakers, and business leaders committed to steering organisations towards sustainable development. It serves business executives and managers looking to integrate eco-conscious strategies within their organisations, researchers and academics in environmental science and business management, policymakers involved in crafting environmental policies, and environmental advocates seeking practical approaches to advance green initiatives. The content is particularly pertinent to professionals in the European Union and Central and Eastern European countries, with specific insights and case studies from Poland, Estonia, and Ukraine.