What are the key priority areas of agrifood systems transformation? A participatory science study for research and action from the farmers’ perspective

Agrifood systems transformation has been called on by agricultural development agenda setters across the industry; however, questions arise regarding areas in the agrifood system worthy of research prioritization. While farmers are the primary drivers of agrifood systems, they are often uninvolved in co-creating the research and policy agendas governing the transformation of the very industry they lead. Our study applied community-engaged research principles to identify priority areas for transforming agrifood systems from farmers' perspectives. Farmers (n = 86) from rural El Salvador participated in a multistep, iterative data collection process, which included an initial individual collection of up to 10 key questions relevant to agrifood systems transformation, followed by a researcher-driven analysis/organization/ranking of themes, and a final participant review and validation. 376 questions, condensed to 89, were identified and categorized into nine themes: Environment and Sustainability, Productivity, Economy and Finances, Technical Assistance and Support, Supply Chain, Social and Cultural Shifts, Workforce, Innovation and Technology, and Governance and Regulation. We recommend using these priorities to facilitate inclusive and equitable agrifood systems transformation in El Salvador, which considers the needs of all stakeholders, particularly farmers, through participatory methodologies. Future research should expand to additional geographic regions, as agrifood systems transformations should follow a place-based approach.