What Research Agenda is Most Relevant to Support Sustainable Agriculture?
The kind of research we conduct is critical because it shapes the structure and practices of agriculture and is used as a basis for agricultural policy. Agricultural research has often focused on developing technologies such as equipment, chemicals, or hybrid seeds that are suitable for manufacture and sale. Less emphasis has been placed on discovering or resolving the social, economic, or ecological sources of agricultural problems. Concentrating on only a part of the food and agriculture system&emdash;farm production&emdash;has left factors such as distribution, processing, and waste management relatively unexplored. Sustainable agriculture research also focuses mainly on farm-level technologies and strategies. While this type of research can contribute to sustainability, it does not necessarily foster long-term resolution of the agricultural problems whose causes are socioeconomic. Achieving sustainability requires that we consciously reshape research so that it is interdisciplinary
