New IUCN report explores how legal and policy frameworks can better support sustainable agriculture

At the international level, the report highlights how major Multilateral Environmental Agreements — most notably the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification — increasingly recognise the critical role of sustainable agriculture in addressing global environmental challenges. This growing recognition is embedded within a broader institutional landscape shaped by key international organisations such as FAO, WTO, ILO and OECD, which influence national agricultural policies through the development of standards, guidance and policy frameworks that support more sustainable agricultural pathways. 

At the regional level, the analysis examines the evolution of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy and selected regional trade agreements, illustrating both progress and persistent challenges in aligning agricultural, environmental and trade objectives. 

The analysis spans a wide range of policy and legal domains relevant to sustainable agriculture, including biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land-use planning, environmental protection, labour conditions and farmer support mechanisms. It reflects the report’s broad understanding of sustainable agriculture, encompassing environmental, social and economic dimensions, and recognising diverse approaches such as agroecology, organic farming, regenerative and nature-inclusive agriculture. The evolution of these approaches to sustainable agriculture is reflected in technical guidance and public policies, highlighting the importance of legal and policy frameworks that can adapt to constantly changing environmental, social and economic conditions. 

National planning and reporting instruments such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) are identified as important entry points to help accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture approaches.   

The case studies from Brazil, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda, and Viet Nam reveal a range of strategies and challenges in designing and implementing laws and policies to support sustainable agriculture. Success hinges on robust political will and policy coherence, active stakeholder participation, and policies grounded in evidence and local conditions. Each country has very specific needs, knowledge and capacities that demand tailored solutions. This presents a significant challenge for scaling up sustainable agriculture approaches, requiring strong cross-sectoral coordination and multistakeholder collaboration.   

Beyond existing frameworks, the report highlights the need to mobilise the full range of available policy and economic levers to create an enabling environment that genuinely supports sustainable agriculture. 

“Policy and legal support for sustainable agriculture requires a comprehensive, multi sectoral approach. This includes redirecting subsidies from conventional agriculture to sustainable practices, fostering research on diversified and resilient systems, and leveraging instruments, such as public procurement programmes, to create stable markets for sustainably produced food” said Sonia Pena Moreno, Director of the IUCN Centre for Policy and Law. 

The authors conclude that transitioning to more sustainable food and agricultural systems depends not only on changes in farming practices, but also on coherent, adaptive and integrated legal and policy environments that reflect the multiple roles agriculture plays for people, nature and economies. 

The report is the fourth in the IUCN Common Ground on Food and Agricultural Systems series, which ambitions to explore the complex relationships between nature and food and agricultural systems to inform policies and better address food and nutrition security, climate change and biodiversity conservation challenges. 

The publication is available online through the IUCN Library. 

Acknowledgements 
Sincere thanks go to the IKEA Foundation and the Agence Française de Développement under the France-IUCN Partnership for their support. 

Disclaimer 

The views expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN, IKEA Foundation, Agence Française de Développement, or other participating or supporting organisations. 

Download the report and key messages here.

A webinar presenting the report and enabling a discussion between the authors and various experts will take place on Monday 4^th May from 12:00 to 1:15 PM. Register here.