The implications of agroecology for meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs): a scoping review

Agroecology's multidimensional theorization and transdisciplinary practices position it as a promising paradigm for addressing challenges within the industrial food system and therefore contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. Despite the growing research of agroecology across geographical contexts, there is limited study about the ways in which agroecology is directly and indirectly linked to the SDGs. This scoping review categorizes carefully screened agroecology studies in light of agroecology's three dimensions and critically examines their geographical and thematic foci when illustrating the connections with each of the SDGs. Our research finds that most studies examine agroecology in the context of the Global South and take a hybrid perspective that describes agroecology as science, practice and/or movement, highlighting its multidiensional nature. Yet, there are limited studies that examine the connection with certain SDGs (i.e. SDG 9, 10, 14 and 16). Moreover, instead of stating explicitly how agroecology contributes to SDGs, existing studies often provide passing reference to the SDGs and do not use strong empirical evidence to illustrate the contribution. The research points out new spaces for agroecology studies by highlighting the need for research that directly connects agroecology to the SDGs with strong empirical evidence. We argue that policymakers and practitioners need to integrate agroecology into development strategies to address systemic inequalities within food systems and advance sustainability goals.