concept

agriculture and food sector

Also known as: agriculture and food sectors

Facts (17)

Sources

Realist Review on Just Transition Towards Low Emission, Climate ... link.springer.com Springer Jan 5, 2026 17 facts

claimA driver of change in the agriculture and food sector transition is the ability of market participants to overcome prevailing norms and values to participate in the just transition.

referenceThe theory of change for the agriculture and food sector includes five key input areas: financing and funding from international and national actors; stakeholder partnerships at multiple levels; provision of materials, equipment, and technology; data and research focused on learning from past projects; and human resources including institutional capacity and leadership programs.

procedureThe research team combined the theory of change for just transition in ecosystem services and the agriculture and food sectors to map intervention activities to reported outcomes.

claimThe lack of large-scale interventions designed to drive systemic change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture and food sector may prevent the achievement of resilient agricultural systems in the medium to long-run as climate impacts worsen.

claimThe theory of change for the studied agriculture and food sector interventions includes three new sector-specific activities: market access, linkages, and standards, which focus on compliance with organic standards and land management practices such as forest protection and land rehabilitation.

measurementIn the agriculture and food sector, the highest incidence of reported outcomes occurs for three main outcomes: enhanced climate resilience, maximized social/economic/decent work gains, and improved social equity and gender equality.

claimEnablers for a just transition in the agriculture and food sector are classified as hard or soft, where hard enablers include robust financing and funding models, and soft enablers include coordinated government support and alignment with national or subnational economic and development policies.

claimBarriers to a just transition in the agriculture and food sector are wide-ranging and can occur at multiple points throughout an intervention's lifecycle.

claimSoft enablers for a just transition in the agriculture and food sector include community empowerment, mobilization, and approval for new agriculture interventions and practices.

claimInterventions contributing towards a just transition in the agriculture and food sector are predominantly smaller in scale and focused on adaptation rather than large-scale systemic change or greenhouse gas emission reduction.

claimThe theory of change for the agriculture and food sector suggests that farmers require incentives and motivation to implement interventions that align with regulatory frameworks for inputs.

claimFive key outcomes for the agriculture and food sector are built upon the overarching theme of resilience and livelihoods.

claimCreating an enabling environment for just transition interventions in the agriculture and food sector requires developing policy, legal, institutional, and financial frameworks, rather than focusing solely on farm equipment and climate-smart technology.

claimThe agriculture and food sector interventions studied identified five key outcomes: reduced climate vulnerability, improved livelihoods and health, promotion of social equity and gender inclusion (specifically women's empowerment in decision-making), poverty reduction (SDG 1), and increased food and nutrition security (SDG 2).

claimAdministrative and bureaucratic barriers in the agriculture and food sector include project delays caused by insufficient technical training for partners, inadequate literacy levels affecting paperwork, limited local monitoring and evaluation systems, and legal or bureaucratic delays regarding land tenure, land access, and procurement.

claimFinancial barriers to a just transition in the agriculture and food sector are primarily characterized by farmers' difficulties in accessing timely support for shifting to new systems and technologies, rather than a lack of major international funding.

claimThe realization of outputs from activities in the agriculture and food sector transition is facilitated by delivering interventions that are easily replicated and scaled up, ensuring they are conducted by a critical mass of beneficiaries.