Regulatory frameworks and policy innovations for agroecology in the Mediterranean: Comparative insights, challenges, and global prospects for sustainable transition

This paper explores the legal and policy frameworks supporting agroecology in the Mediterranean basin through a comparative analysis of national legislation, policy instruments, and regulations. Drawing on the FAO’s ten principles of agroecology, the study integrates a systematic review of normative texts with conceptual bibliometric mapping using VOSviewer, and contrasts Mediterranean experiences with global practices from Latin America (including Central America), Asia, and Africa. The analysis identifies three main regulatory models: binding legal frameworks (e.g., Brazil, India), soft-law incentive systems (e.g., the European Union), and regional hybrid innovations (e.g., Sicily). In several European Mediterranean countries, such as Italy and France agroecological principles are increasingly referenced within policy and regulatory frameworks, although this alignment remains largely formal, fragmented, and predominantly incentive-based. In contrast, Sicily emerges as a pioneering example of subnational legal innovation, translating global agroecological principles into measurable and enforceable obligations. By focusing on formal legal and policy frameworks, the findings highlight both opportunities and limitations for scaling agroecology, including the need for stronger legal mandates, participatory governance, and institutionalized knowledge co-creation. The study provides actionable insights for legislators, farmers, researchers, civil society actors, and international organizations, positioning agroecology not merely as a technical paradigm but as a regulatory and institutional pathway toward sustainable food systems. • Comparative analysis of agroecological regulatory frameworks in Mediterranean and selected global contexts. • Three regulatory models identified: binding national, soft-law incentive, and subnational hybrid approaches. • Sicily emerges as an advanced subnational case of legally enforceable agroecological governance. • Bibliometric mapping links agroecology to law, governance, and sustainability debates. • Policy-relevant insights on translating FAO agroecological principles into regional legal frameworks.