GLOBAL RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: A BIBLIOMETRIC AND SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS

Md Mahedi, A KM Kanak Pervez, Shabrin Jahan Shaili, Md Nurnobi, Md Sagor Islam, Mrinmoy Chakrabarty

DOI: 10.26480/bda.02.2026.56.65

ABSTRACT
This research conducts a systematic and bibliometric analysis of the Sustainable Agricultural Development (SAD) literature from 1985 to 2025, examining 2115 Scopus publications using Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and R. It shows a marked change in publication output starting in 2020 with global crises, intrinsic policy (SDGs, COP26), and precision agriculture, resulting in a 6.82% annual growth. Developmental collaboration is high, with 4.73 co-authors per document; however, it is severely imbalanced, with 78% of documents originating from high-income countries. Notably, China Agricultural University leads the institution ranking with 401 articles. Over the last decade, the thematic focus has shifted toward climate-smart agriculture, agroecology, resource optimization, and achieving a socio-ecological equilibrium. However, critical gaps remain: the lack of global bibliometric research creates a lack of methodical cohesion, particularly in Europe, that is focused on the Global South, and the sidelining of socio-political, labor, and gender inequities in climate-smart frameworks. There is insufficient integration of participatory and adaptation frameworks, and grassroots innovations are critically underfunded. The analysis highlights the need to integrate Global South frameworks, incorporate Indigenous agroforestry and seed-saving policy, develop comprehensive metrics for sustainability, resolve the efficiency-equity conundrum, and shift funding priorities to bottom-up frameworks. More resilient food systems necessitate a shift to transdisciplinary frameworks that incorporate social justice and technological advances. To address the SDGs and find the right balance between productivity, environmental care, and human well-being, it’s crucial to amplify marginalized voices and support epistemic pluralism.

KEYWORDS
Bibliometric Analysis; Climate-Smart Agriculture; Food Security, Indigenous Knowledge; Sustainable Agricultural Development (SAD).