Medicinal and Functional Biodiversity in Agroecosystems: Exploring Sustainable Food-Health Linkages

Agroecological systems accommodate diverse biological resources that provide ecosystem services such as food production, nutrition, health support, and biodiversity conservation. Among these resources, medicinal plants link agricultural landscapes with human well-being. Traditional farming systems, home gardens, and diversified cropping patterns integrate plant species that serve dietary and therapeutic functions. These plants not only act as functional constituents of the food systems; they also facilitate the development of preventive healthcare. Indigenous and local communities possess knowledge regarding the cultivation, preparation, and use of these species, forming an important component of biocultural heritage. Despite the recognition of the significance of agroecology for agricultural sustainability, the contribution of medicinal and functional plants in agricultural landscapes remains underexplored. More attention is therefore needed to improve our understanding on how medicinal and functional biodiversity within agroecosystems can support food security and strengthen food–health linkages.This Research Topic explores the ecological, nutritional, and sociocultural significance of medicinal and functional plant diversity in agroecosystems and its role in promoting food-health linkages. Recent advances in ethnopharmacology, natural product research, nutraceutical development, metabolomics, and sustainable agriculture provide opportunities to evaluate the health-promoting potential of agrobiodiversity. This research topic aims to bring together interdisciplinary research that integrates agroecology, biodiversity science, traditional knowledge, and functional food research.We welcome interdisciplinary contributions examining the role of medicinal and functional biodiversity in agroecosystems and its implications for ecosystem services, food system sustainability, and human well-being. Authors should explore ecological, biochemical, sociocultural, and policy perspectives related to medicinal and food plant diversity in agricultural landscapes. Topics may include diversity and conservation of medicinal plants in agroecosystems, ecosystem services from medicinal biodiversity, ethnobotanical knowledge and community-based resource management, nutraceutical potential of agrobiodiversity, home gardens and traditional farming systems, and sustainable use of plant-based resources.Specific topics include, but are not limited to the following:- Home Gardens and Nursery Systems as Pathways for Sustainable Use of Wild Medicinal Plants in Agroecological Landscapes- Gendered Dimensions of Indigenous Knowledge in the Food–Medicine Continuum and Nutritional Security- Intercropping and Agroecological Cultivation of Medicinal Plants for Functional Food Production in Africa- Policy, Governance, and Community-Based Management of Medicinal and Functional Biodiversity- Medicinal Plant Value Chains: Trade Dynamics, Commercialization, and Livelihood Implications- Keystone Tree Species in Forest Restoration and Climate Resilience within Agroecological Systems- Ecosystem Services of Medicinal Plants: Integrating Biodiversity, Health, and Human Well-being- Pathways Toward Sustainable Wild Food Systems in Agroecological Contexts Topic editors: THADIYAN PARAMBIL IJINU, Cristina Amaro Costa, Vikram S. Negi, Olufunke Fajinmi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79024/medicinal-and-functional-biodiversity-in-agroecosystems-exploring-sustainable-food-health-linkages