Special Issue: Transforming agri-food systems for sustainability and rural vitalization

Global agri-food systems face unprecedented volatility, which necessitates a transition towards systemic robustness. This special issue, developed in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute, addresses critical research gaps regarding both spatial and structural interdependencies in food systems. Centered on two pillars of transformation, i.e., inter-regional connectivity and urban-rural integration, the collection presents eight papers spanning advanced and emerging countries. The research explores diverse areas of resilience, ranging from macro-level disruptions such as the global fertilizer crisis, trade barriers to agricultural intermediates, and the systemic impacts of emerging trade wars, to micro-level challenges such as digital adaptation, supply chain bottlenecks, and climate shocks to nutritional security. The research findings offer insights for both scholars and practitioners to foster sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agri-food transformations amid persistent exogenous shocks.