Today, global food production is the largest driver of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss (Willett et al. 2019). Rising global food demand and limited arable land are pushing us to expand agricultural frontiers and production. This often happens without regard to the environment, causing biodiversity loss, land and water degradation (Bioversity International 2017) Climate change is accelerating biodiversity loss. Higher temperatures disrupt pollination and natural pest control, affecting food quality (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN 2017).Equally, the need to feed an additional 2 billion people by 2050 is pushing us to increase yields in a few staple foods, which erodes food and genetic diversity. Biodiversity loss in food systems leaves farmers with fewer options to deal with risks of crop failure, declining soil fertility, or increasingly variable weather (Bioversity International 2017), causing production losses, food insecurity and malnutrition(FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP WHO 2018).The way we produce and consume our food is hurting both people and the planet. This calls upon all of us, from governments to producers to consumers, to put biodiversity back into food (World Economic Forum (WEF) 2017).Food and - more broadly - agricultural biodiversity are essential for sustainable food systems. Agrobiodiversity boosts productivity and nutrition quality, increases soil and water quality, and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. It makes farmers’ livelihoods more resilient, reducing yield losses due to climate change and pest damage. Broadening the types of cultivated plants also benefits the environment, increasing the abundance of pollinators and beneficial soil organisms, and reducing the risk of pest epidemics.To sustainably use and conserve agrobiodiversity, governments need dedicated, multi-sectoral and evidence-based policies and strategies. From smallholder farmers to multinational companies, food producers are becoming increasingly important in conserving genetic resources and adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Consumers need to become more aware of the impact of their food choices on the planet and their role in preserving the environment.What actions do we need to put in place to make change happen? To answer, we need to be able to measure biodiversity in food systems. While decades of effort have advanced our understanding of sustainable food systems, biodiversity data remain uneven and oftentimes information is analyzed from sectoral perspectives (i.e.: production, consumption or conservation). To transform food systems, we need to look at the broader picture and understand the systemic linkages between biodiversity, food security and nutrition, agricultural production, and the environment.Bioversity International has developed the Agrobiodiversity Index, an innovative tool that brings together existing data on diets and markets, production and genetic resources, analyzing them under the lens of agricultural biodiversity (Bioversity International 2018). Through open access to agricultural biodiversity data for science and society, the tool crosses disciplinary boundaries and allows users to monitor biodiversity trends in food systems. In particular, it helps food systems actors to measure agrobiodiversity in a selected area or value chain, and understand to what extent their commitments and actions are contributing to its sustainable use and conservation.This user-friendly tool equips food systems actors with the data needed to make informed decisions. For example, it helps governments to formulate evidence-based agricultural, health and food policies and strategies to address today’s global challenges, by providing information on how biological and geographical diversity influence food systems sustainability. Through the Index, companies can understand how to diversify their supply chain and production to reduce risks, and what are the best agricultural practices for their agro-ecological zone. The tool can thereby support best practices dissemination, and track progress towards global goals related to agrobiodiversity, including Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, 13, 15 and Aichi targets 7.

Today, global food production is the largest driver of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss (Willett et al. 2019). Rising global food demand and limited arable land are pushing us to expand agricultural frontiers and production. This often happens without regard to the environment, causing biodiversity loss, land and water degradation (Bioversity International 2017) Climate change is accelerating biodiversity loss. Higher temperatures disrupt pollination and natural pest control, affecting food quality (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN 2017). Equally, the need to feed an additional 2 billion people by 2050 is pushing us to increase yields in a few staple foods, which erodes food and genetic diversity. Biodiversity loss in food systems leaves farmers with fewer options to deal with risks of crop failure, declining soil fertility, or increasingly variable weather (Bioversity International 2017), causing production losses, food insecurity and malnutrition(FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP WHO 2018). The way we produce and consume our food is hurting both people and the planet. This calls upon all of us, from governments to producers to consumers, to put biodiversity back into food (World Economic Forum (WEF) 2017). Food and - more broadly - agricultural biodiversity are essential for sustainable food systems. Agrobiodiversity boosts productivity and nutrition quality, increases soil and water quality, and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. It makes farmers’ livelihoods more resilient, reducing yield losses due to climate change and pest damage. Broadening the types of cultivated plants also benefits the environment, increasing the abundance of pollinators and beneficial soil organisms, and reducing the risk of pest epidemics. To sustainably use and conserve agrobiodiversity, governments need dedicated, multi-sectoral and evidence-based policies and strategies. From smallholder farmers to multinational companies, food producers are becoming increasingly important in conserving genetic resources and adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Consumers need to become more aware of the impact of their food choices on the planet and their role in preserving the environment. What actions do we need to put in place to make change happen? To answer, we need to be able to measure biodiversity in food systems. While decades of effort have advanced our understanding of sustainable food systems, biodiversity data remain uneven and oftentimes information is analyzed from sectoral perspectives (i.e.: production, consumption or conservation). To transform food systems, we need to look at the broader picture and understand the systemic linkages between biodiversity, food security and nutrition, agricultural production, and the environment. Bioversity International has developed the Agrobiodiversity Index, an innovative tool that brings together existing data on diets and markets, production and genetic resources, analyzing them under the lens of agricultural biodiversity (Bioversity International 2018). Through open access to agricultural biodiversity data for science and society, the tool crosses disciplinary boundaries and allows users to monitor biodiversity trends in food systems. In particular, it helps food systems actors to measure agrobiodiversity in a selected area or value chain, and understand to what extent their commitments and actions are contributing to its sustainable use and conservation. This user-friendly tool equips food systems actors with the data needed to make informed decisions. For example, it helps governments to formulate evidence-based agricultural, health and food policies and strategies to address today’s global challenges, by providing information on how biological and geographical diversity influence food systems sustainability. Through the Index, companies can understand how to diversify their supply chain and production to reduce risks, and what are the best agricultural practices for their agro-ecological zone. The tool can thereby support best practices dissemination, and track progress towards global goals related to agrobiodiversity, including Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, 13, 15 and Aichi targets 7.

The activities developed in forest environments such as deforestation, logging, implementation of farming systems and monocultures, together with the advance in soybean production, increase the anthropogenic effects caused by changes to the environment in the so-called "Deforestation Arc". The withdrawal of native forests leads directly to losses in biodiversity, however, some measures of natural resource management can be taken to mitigate the deleterious effects, such as the planting of mixed stands. This management is developed through the planting of tree species, native and / or exotic, in a consortium. Strategically, the application of these systems can favor with the maintenance and even with the increase of biodiversity, as these block the perpetuation of edge effects, and often provide high availability of food resources when compared to monoculture systems. In this context, we evaluated by means of photographic traps the presence of said fauna in the altered environments. The fauna present in these environments performs physiological and behavioral activities and consequently maintain the environmental dynamics, through the dispersion of seeds brought from adjacent forest habitats. The present study was carried out in southern Amazonia, in the municipality of Cotriguaçu, Mato Grosso, Brazil, in order to verify the use of the environment managed by teak intercropping (Tectona grandis L. f.) With 10 other native species of the region. In this way reforestation areas can contribute to the conservation of forest species, reducing the impact of edge effect over time, providing the mammals and others, and can contribute to the conservation of these species, as they function as relaxation zones, where environmentally friendly animals no longer compete for natural resources in native forest environments, thus complementing their ecological demands.

Experimental exclosure of birds and bats constitutes a powerful tool to study the impacts of wildlife on pests and crop yields in agricultural systems. Though widely utilized, exclosure experiments are not standardized across studies. Indeed, key differences surrounding the design, materials, and protocols for implementing field-based exclosure experiments of flying vertebrates increase heterogeneity across studies, and limit our understanding of biodiversity-friendly land use management. We reviewed the available literature on studies in which bird and bat exclosures were applied to study pest control in agricultural settings, and isolated 30 studies from both tropical and temperate land use systems, involving 12 crop types across 14 countries. Focusing on exclosure effects on crop yield, we analyzed effect detectability for a subset of suitable data. We then analyzed the potential of exclosure methods and possible extensions to improve our understanding of complex food webs and ecosystem services affecting the productivity of agricultural systems. While preferences exist in materials (e.g., nylon nets and bamboo frames), experimental exclosure studies of birds and bats differed greatly in their respective design, related costs, and effort — limiting the generalization and transferability of results at larger spatial scales. Most studies were based on experiments conducted in the United States and the Neotropics, mainly in coffee and cacao farms. A lack of preliminary or long-term data with repeated measurements makes it impossible to apply power analysis in most studies. Common constraints include, among other things, the choice of material and experimental duration, as well as the consideration of local versus landscape factors. We discuss such limitations, related common pitfalls, and options for optimization to inform improved planning, design, and execution of exclosure studies. By doing so, we aim to promote more comparable and transferable approaches in future field research on biodiversity-mediated ecosystem services.

The most common words associated with sustainability are “environment,” “social,” and “economic.” Thus, sustainability is a holistic concept that jointly considers ecological, social, and economic dimensions of a system or intervention for long-lasting prosperity. Experience shows that economic development at the cost of ecology does not last; therefore, it is critical to harmonize ecology with development. This also applies to livestock systems, which should be economically viable for farmers, environmentally friendly or at least neutral, and socially acceptable in order to be considered sustainable. There are different types of livestock production systems, depending on availability of resources, environmental conditions, and social and economic contexts, and they vary considerably in sustainability. These livestock systems include the grassland-based extensive systems, intensive landless systems, and mixed farming systems among others. These systems contribute significantly to human nutrition and livelihoods and provide important ecosystem services. However, if not properly managed, they can also cause nutrient and environmental pollution and land degradation. With increasing global awareness about climate change and studies indicating that livestock is one of the contributors to greenhouse gases, environmental degradation, and loss of biodiversity, various concerted efforts have been aimed at developing and or ensuring the sustainability of livestock systems that deliver economic and ecosystems services without compromising the future integrity, health, and welfare of the environment, humans, and animals. Increasing competition for the requisite resources for feed and food production, especially under more intensive livestock production systems, has raised concerns about the economic and environmental sustainability of some livestock production systems. Feed production and processing, and enteric fermentation of feed contribute to 45% and 39%, respectively, of the total emissions from agriculture (Steinfeld et al., 2006). About 90% of livestock emissions are produced by ruminants through enteric fermentation (188 million tons) and the remaining 10% from manure (Swamy and Bhattacharya, 2006). In addition, inadequately managed livestock production systems may cause negative environmental consequences such as eutrophication in intensive high input systems, overgrazing, and soil and rangeland degradation in extensive systems and negative human health outcomes. Even though inadequately managed livestock systems may have adverse effects on the environment, widely quoted statistics about their contribution are misleading. Most do not reflect the diversity of livestock production systems nor differences between production systems dominant in various countries even for a given species. For instance, an often-cited statistic is that livestock contribute 18% of greenhouse gases globally (Steinfeld et al., 2006), more than that for the transportation industry, but that analysis is incorrect and has been corrected by the authors (Mottet and Steinfeld, 2018). Moreover, interventions can help reduce the carbon footprint of livestock production, while improving productivity. For example, with improved management and feeding strategies, the carbon footprint per billion kilograms of beef produced in 2007 was reduced by 16.3% compared with equivalent beef production in 1977 (Capper, 2011). When comparing greenhouse gas emissions of various livestock production systems, it is critical to take the need for environmental stewardship as well as food security into account to ensure the sustainability of the system. An index which takes both into account is the emissions intensity measure, which relates greenhouse gas emissions to food produced by the system. This important index shows that methane production per unit of food produced in several low- and middle-income countries is much greater than in some developed countries (Figure 1). This does not imply that the production systems in the developed countries should be copied entirely by low- and middle-income countries; rather, each country should evaluate and implement the aspects of developed country production systems that will sustainably intensify their production systems and thereby increase food production while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Open in a separate window Figure 1. Regional variation in greenhouse gas emission intensities. Reprinted with permission from “Tackling climate change through livestock—A global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities” (Gerber et al., 2013).

Ecological and Organic farming systems and food production are pertinent solutions reducing hunger, climate change mitigation and adaptation, increased biodiversity and its functional role in environmental friendly production. It intends to ensure fair conditions for all stakeholders of the food chain along with responsible consumption. FAO recently declared that organic farming can enhance food security, rural development, sustainable livelihoods and environmental integrity by building capacities of stakeholders in organic production, processing, certification and marketing worldwide. The revised EU regulation to be implemented in 2021 will affect the import of organic products from third parties, and there is a need to understand how and develop efficient ways for its success. However, it still a small sector, African Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) is gaining success through the Ecological and OA Initiative (EOA-I) as confirmed during the last African Organic Conference held in Sally-Dakar (Senegal) in November 2018. African organic stakeholders and decision makers along with scientists were unanimous that African governments, continental and regional institutions, development partners, donors and private sector investors, should provide more support to develop OA in Africa. The conference intends to boost the cooperation between organic stakeholders in Africa with many countries at multilateral level. Organic expertise will be strengthened for the benefit of all African countries. Objectives of the conference • Merge a critical mass of scientific capacity and skills from Europe and Africa, to deliver sustainable solutions by working at practical and theoretical level; • Bring together high profiled scientists from both continents to discuss issues about organic inputs, innovation, organic research funding, ethics and address recommendations to relevant certification and regulation bodies; • Address and confront African potentials to expand traditional organic agriculture in terms of genetic, agro-climatic and sociocultural diversity; • Strengthen the "Organic Alternatives for Africa" initiative and to facilitate the integration of OA into strategic policies and the agricultural development program • Discuss how OA in Africa can be further developed as a sustainable and reliable model to ensure food safety for all, in the framework of the AAA Initiative following the COP22 recommendations (Marrakesh, Morocco 2016) • Discuss the main question raised from the conference title: How can research contribute to bridge the current gap between Africa and Europe, with respect to organic agriculture?

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the majority of the population depends on subsistence farming in a system characterized by high forest landscape degradation, low soil fertility, erratic rainfall, small farm sizes, and a high population. Over 936.1 million people live in this region, and over 60% of the population depends on farming, according to 2015 data from the World Bank. To meet the increasing food demand (both in quantity and quality) of the increasing population, the agricultural practices in the region have been expanding to forests and biodiversity hotspot areas. At the same time, climate change is posing severe challenges resulting in low agricultural production and low resilience capacities of smallholder communities in this region. To address the challenges, evidence-based and eco-friendly technologies and approaches are crucial for improving food security and livelihoods in the region. Enhancing the production of food on less land in more sustainable ways will improve the capacities of smallholder communities to cope with climate shocks and improve the resiliency of communities and ecosystems. Integrated and climate-smart approaches, for example, on land, water and forest management practices can sustainably increase agricultural productivity, and ecosystem and societal resilience while reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions for enhancing to achieve national, regional, and global developments including food security and livelihoods improvement.With the aim of compiling climate-smart technologies and practices which combine both food security and climate change issues, the World Agroforestry (ICRAF) in Ethiopia took an initiative to prepare a book with information organized based on scientific knowledge and case studies gathered from different parts of Ethiopia and other Sub-Saharan Africa countries. To this end, ICRAF invited professionals from several institutions and organizations to document and exchange all available evidence based knowledge and local agro-ecological practices with contributions from a range of topics including agriculture, water management, agroforests, soil, ecosystems, climate change, rural energy, socioeconomic, gender and policy issues in Sub-Saharan Africa, with emphasis on Ethiopia.The book presents evidence-based knowledge and scalable practices which can be tailored to different biophysical, socioeconomic, policy, and institutional contexts. The technologies and practices described in this book include promising options by considering varying contexts and demands, which can potentially enhance accelerated restoration of degraded landscapes, sustainable agricultural production and foodnutrition-energy security while contributing to resilient ecosystems and societies to climate change. The book also provides frameworks and strategies, which improve informed decision-making and facilitate accelerated adoption and scaling up of the technologies and practices in Ethiopia and the SSA. The book highlights approaches, which are timely and critical towards achieving national and regional development strategies in SSA, while contributing to global initiatives, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Forest Landscape Restoration. The important information of the book can be used by different users, such as researchers, extension staff, local communities, practitioners, academics, and policy makers | B Bishaw, 'Climate-smart Agriculture: Enhancing Resilient Agricultural Systems, Landscapes and Livelihoods in Ethiopia and Beyond', p.251, World Agroforestry (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya, 2019

Over the past years, the entire food sector including olive oil has been facing economic problems in particular the low income of farmers, environmental sustainability problems (protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, mitigation of climate change), and social problems (depopulation of rural areas, rural unemployment, precarious living conditions of many farmers). In this context, the Spanish olive oil sector has undertaken important steps in transition from traditional to sustainable models (especially organic production) as a solution to some of the problems mentioned above and value creation in the value chain of this product. Face to this background, the present study aims to analyzing the sources of added value throughout the organic olive oil value chain as a whole and among the different actors of the value chain, identifying the factors that positively and negatively influence the formation of added value. It also explores how new technologies, changing consumer behavior and regulation influence the business models of organic olive oil companies. To this end, a business model survey was conducted with the participation of a highly qualified panel of experts from the olive sector to develop innovative business models for the creation of value in organic olive oil. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using the business model methodology for value creation in the organic olive oil in Spain. The results show that the expected benefits of organic olive oil compared to conventional production are mainly higher income for producers, less soil and water contamination and more job creation in the rural zones. Creating value in the organic olive oil value chain would be essentially based on a market segmentation strategy where companies should orient organic olive oil to very health conscious consumers, people friendly to the environment and high-income people, both on the national and the export markets. Also, in the national market, the distribution of this product would be more efficient through specialized channels (bio concept), e-commerce, agrotourism, hypermarkets and supermarkets, small specialized shops, in this order. For export, distribution should be preferably through specialized channels (bio concept), small specialty stores and e-commerce. This is without forgetting the need to meet the requirements of local and international consumers through the production of high quality organic olive oil (extra virgin) packed in innovative crystal bottles and with a suitable price on the markets. Creating value and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in the domestic and foreign markets will depend on the commitment and joint efforts of the different actors in the value chain, through the implementation of actions focused on quality through the adoption of good practices for harvesting and transporting olives, and the differentiation of the product through the adoption of sustainable production methods that go beyond organic production systems at the production stage. At the processor level, value creation depends on the adoption of good extraction and storage practices, the implementation of management systems to ensure the quality of the product and the respect of environmental requirements and traceability and the development of strong brands. To this should be added the necessary IV structural and organizational changes as well as the development of appropriate marketing strategies and promotional campaigns in collaboration with public institutions, the development and use of e-commerce platforms and the improvement of the positioning of organic olive oil in the priority consumer segments. Last but not least, a real-life case study of a Spanish organic olive oil company is presented as a practical application of business model innovation based on both the business model generation concept and the survey results as potential levers and solutions for business innovation and improvement. The main objective here is to illustrate how the results of the survey carried out can be implemented in a real organic olive oil firm to generate potential innovation areas in its business model.

Edited by: Dragana Miladinović, Johann Vollmann, Leire Molinero-Ruiz and Mariela Torres.-- Published in: Frontiers in Plant Science. | CSIC authors articles: Miladinovic, Dragana; Vollmann, Johann; Molinero-Ruiz, Leire; Torres, Mariela (2019). Editorial: Advances in Oil Crops Research—Classical and New Approaches to Achieve Sustainable Productivity. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/205338.-- López-Bernal, Álvaro; Morales, Alejandro; García-Tejera, Omar; Testi, Luca; Orgaz Rosua, Francisco; Melo-Abreu, J. P. de; Villalobos, Francisco J. (2018). OliveCan: A Process-Based Model of Development, Growth and Yield of Olive Orchards. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/209273.-- Martín-Sanz, Alberto; Rueda, Sandra; García-Carneros, Ana B.; González-Fernández, Sara; Miranda-Fuentes, Pedro; Castuera-Santacruz, Sandra; Molinero-Ruiz, Leire (2018). Genetics, host range, and molecular and pathogenic characterization of Verticillium dahliae from sunflower reveal two differentiated groups in Europe. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/167012.-- Pérez Rubio, Ana Gracia; León, Lorenzo; Sanz, Carlos; Rosa, Raúl de la (2018). Fruit Phenolic Profiling: A New Selection Criterion in Olive Breeding Programs. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/175959.-- León, Lorenzo; Rosa, Raúl de la; Velasco Varo, Leonardo; Belaj, Angjelina (2018). Using Wild Olives in Breeding Programs: Implications on Oil Quality Composition. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/166979.-- Velázquez-Palmero, David; Romero-Segura, Carmen; García-Rodríguez, Rosa; Hernández, María L.; Vaistij, Fabián E.; Graham, Ian A.; Pérez Rubio, Ana Gracia; Martínez-Rivas, José Manuel (2017). An Oleuropein β-Glucosidase from Olive Fruit Is Involved in Determining the Phenolic Composition of Virgin Olive Oil. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/157888.-- Zafra, Adoración; Carmona, Rosario; Traverso, José A.; Hancock, John T.; Goldman, Maria Helena S.; Claros, Gonzalo M.; Hiscock, Simon J.; Alché Ramírez, Juan de Dios (2017). Identification and functional annotation of genes differentially expressed in the reproductive tissues of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.) through the generation of subtractive libraries. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/164729.-- Ortiz-Bustos, Carmen M.; Pérez-Bueno, María Luisa; Barón Ayala, Matilde; Molinero-Ruiz, Leire (2017). Use of Blue-Green Fluorescence and Thermal Imaging in the Early Detection of Sunflower Infection by the Root Parasitic Weed Orobanche cumana Wallr. http://hdl.handle.net/10261/152640 | The world production of main oil crops increases steadily. This growth is caused by population growth, increased use of oil crops in bio-fuel production, and increased use of vegetable oils in human nutrition. Oil crops are grown worldwide under varied agro-climatic conditions and are vital commodities in the trade and commerce of many economies. From the perspective of the sown areas, the oil crops are the second most important in the world, preceded by cereals. Oil crops include both annual and perennial plants whose seeds, fruits or mesocarp, and nuts are valued mainly for the edible or industrial oils that are extracted from them. There are about 40 different oil crops whose oil can be consumed but only soybean, sunflower and rapeseed are significant in the total world trade. Sustainable oil crops systems must harmonize productivity with conservation of natural resources and environmental protection. The research conducted must be consequently oriented towards the improvement of productivity and, at the same time, the investigation in options for sustainable exploitation of resources as well as minimized effects on the environment. Plant breeding has played an essential role in supporting oil crops expansion: breeding for higher yield and oil content allowed for an increase in oil production per unit area, whereas breeding for better oil quality has improved both the human health value as well as the suitability of oils in industrial applications. This has been supplemented with the advanced scientific production technologies which have resulted in high levels of per unit productivity, particularly in countries with high standards of agricultural production. Research in agronomy of oil crops must be committed to sustainability through the rational use and conservation of water and soil resources. Current resource management is facilitated by the application of new technologies (models, remote sensing, control/automation, instrumentation. Oil crop production efficiency must be increased through the integrated management of invertebrate pests, pathogens, and weeds. Novel options for the control of biotic stresses also play a major role. Research is therefore focused to the development of innovative and environmentally friendly management strategies and aims at ensuring both the efficiency of the oil crops systems and the quality of oil production. The aim of the Research Topic “Advances in Oil Crops Research – Classical and New Approaches to Achieve Sustainable Productivity” is to compile the latest research dealing with different aspects of oil crops, including the breeding and selection of varieties for high yield or specific traits, biodiversity, sustainable cultivation, food and feed uses, nutritional value or health benefits, pests, diseases, weeds, integrated pest management, soil fertility and crop nutrition, soil tillage and conservation, crop ecology and physiology, and water management. The goal of this Research Topic is not only to present the most advanced research dealing with oil crops, but also to attract valuable research articles, reviews and methods in order to offer an outstanding overview of these crops essential to worldwide food supply. Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review. | Peer reviewed