Research Themes

The debate will focus on the 3 themes listed here below. Characteristics of territories (or place-based development) and their linkages with agri-chains will be explored as cross-cutting dimensions transversal to the themes.

Theme 1 “Performance and evaluation of agri-chains with respect to the SDGs”

concerns metrics, indicators, and qualitative and quantitative impact assessments of agri-chain development and transformation. It covers methods and tools for assessing sustainability and inclusiveness of agri-chains, for monetizing hidden costs and for implementing monitoring frameworks for the SDGs at different scales. It implies a discussion about the notion of sustainability and sustainable development against which the assessment is performed. Contributions are expected to reflect on methodological advances in integrating social and environmental impacts. Special attention will be devoted to the assessment of value chain performances at the territorial scale.

Theme 2 “Public policies and agri-chain governance mechanisms at different scales in support of the SDGs”

deals with public policies, private standards, global civil society initiatives and multi-stakeholders alliances. This theme covers a wide range of private actor initiatives, especially at international and national levels, such as mutistakeholder platforms and standards, responsible agricultural supply chain initiatives, impact investments, etc. aimed at sustainable and inclusive agri-chains. The implications of financialization processes in these dynamics are meant to be accounted for. Contributions are expected to discuss the role of different private actors (firms, NGOS, etc.) as prescriptors of models of development, and to bring insights for reconsidering and inventing forms of collective action and public policies at different scales in support of the SDGs. Attention will be given to coherence issues between different sectorial policies, notably trade, food security and nutrition, development cooperation, environmental and agricultural policies.

Theme 3 “Concrete innovations and partnerships for building and transforming agri-chains towards sustainable development”

deals with technical and social innovation processes along agri-chains. Contributions are expected to discuss practical experiences and designs across different stages and along different types of : agri-chains of agroecological, nutrition sensitive and decarbonizing production systems; sustainable diversification of biomass uses, notably in relation with energetic transition; waste and loss reduction technologies; etc. These experiences will connect with social innovations and systemic ways to promote and scale up innovation; and are meant to cover youth entrepreneurship, agri-clusters, urban-rural nexus and food systems, emerging value chains associated with circular economy (waste or effluent recycling) and innovation platforms.

Sustainable Development Goals

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