Unlocking the agroecological transition in intensive farming systems

Abstract

A system-wide transformation of dominant intensive farming and food systems is strongly needed to address their high sanitary, environmental, and social costs. Here we argue that simultaneously addressing lock-ins across the entire food system is essential to enable such a transformation. We challenge the dominant narratives that pit producers against consumers or top-down policymaking against bottom-up, community-led approaches, while overlooking the micro- and macro-level pressures they all face. We identify the major lock-ins hindering the agroecological transition across the food systems of advanced economies, and propose a roadmap for facilitating a true, transformative transition.