The new challenges of agricultural policy: new actors and redefined development paradigms

The role of the agricultural sector has had to evolve as our global social economic system has been changed by drivers such as climate change, demographics, ecosystem depletion, changes in dietary patterns and rising food demand. A key characteristic of 21st century agriculture is the reaffirmation of its primary function: producing sustainable food for a growing global population living in increasing inequality and political instability. However, the role of agriculture also goes beyond feeding the planet; it increasingly involves maintaining the environment. Meeting these challenges will require significant changes in the sector’s organisational and operational boundaries and bold intervention from the research community and public sector alike to generate new knowledge and innovation systems. This paper aims to describe and analyse, where possible, the changes this transition will entail in terms of stakeholders, policy interventions, governance, development models and, finally, the role research should play in future scenarios.