Table 2. List of issues to support agroecology transition of agri-food systems.

Issues are taken from the Agroecology Criteria Tool (ACT) methodology ( https://www.agroecology-pool.org/methodology/) and embedded within the FAO elements of agroecology ( FAO, 2018) and the 5 levels of food system transformation proposed by Gliessman (2014).

Gliessman’s levels	FAO elements	Issues
Level 1	Efficiency	Improving approaches focused on increasing/maintaining yield and reducing external input use
Level 2	Recycling	Strengthening practices that close cycles, drive the recycling of nutrients, biomass, and water within production systems
	Regulation and balance	Optimizing the biophysical mechanisms and interactions within farming systems to boost natural regulation processes, including pest regulation, and to temper disturbances through alternative practices that substitute toxic inputs
Level 3	Synergies	Carefully designing diversified system and integration of elements in the system to optimize biological synergies
	Diversity	Optimize the vertical, temporal, spatial diversity of species and genetic resources
	Resilience	Increasing the capacity to recover from disturbances including extreme weather events
Level 4	Circular and solidarity economy	Reconnecting producers and consumers, prioritizing local markets and short food circuit, and supporting local economic development
	Healthy and cultural food	Supporting healthy food production and consumption, and cultural identity tied to landscapes and food systems
	Co-creation and sharing of knowledge	Promoting innovation co-created through participatory processes and context-specific knowledge
Level 5	Human and social value	Improving rural livelihoods, equity, and social well-being (dignity, inclusion, and justice) by building autonomy and adaptive capacities
	Responsible governance	Promoting responsible, effective, transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance mechanisms at different scales