This study explores orientations in the study of sustainability strategy in agribusinesses using quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative aspect involved a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in the Scopus and Web of Science databases on publications in the area of business and management, while the qualitative approach involved a systematic analysis to determine strategic orientations. The research methodology used was the Constructivist and Knowledge Development Process (Proknow-C), which includes four stages: (1) portfolio selection, (2) bibliometric analysis of the portfolio using bibliometric software, (3) systematic analysis and (4) identification of future research. The results revealed four strategic directions for sustainability: Corporate Social Responsibility, Standards and Traceability, Innovation and Environmental Performance, and Governance and Food Safety. In addition, two areas for future research were identified: corporate sustainability policies and management practices. Although there is a considerable amount of literature on sustainability, research in agribusiness is still in its infancy and there is a need to deepen the interactions between the economic, environmental and social dimensions in order to promote business strategies in agribusiness that foster sustainable development.

La investigación en las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) es una de sus funciones sustantivas que soporta la generación de nuevo conocimiento. Con el fin de establecer el estado de la producción intelectual en la IES colombianas se realizó una investigación documental de carácter exploratorio con un enfoque cualitativo, tomando la información de los rankings de Sapiens 2021 y del Sistema de Propiedad Industrial de la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio (SIC). Según la producción investigativa, se encuentra que para 2021 las primeras cinco posiciones las ocupan la Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Bogotá, la Universidad de Antioquia-Medellín, la Universidad del Valle-Cali, la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana-Bogotá y la Universidad de los Andes-Bogotá. Se observa un crecimiento de los indicadores para productos tecnológicos (nuevas creaciones) en el período 2017-2021, aunque en 2021 la producción de los grupos de investigación se asocia con el indicador de regulaciones, normas y reglamentos técnicos, seguido por los productos de consultoría, y en tercer lugar con las nuevas creaciones. Las 15 IES con mejores resultados en desarrollo tecnológico en 2021, entre 1991 y 2021, registraron en las SIC 472 nuevas creaciones de las cuales han sido concedidas 267 patentes, 62 de ellas relacionadas con el agro. El mayor número de registros corresponde a la Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Bogotá y las IES con más número de patentes son la Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Bogotá, Universidad EAFIT-Medellín y la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana-Medellín. Se evidencia el crecimiento en la producción tecnológica en las IES colombianas y la protección de las nuevas creaciones mediante patentes para nuevos procesos/técnicas (50 %), equipos (23 %), y productos (27 %).

Consolidating the peace process in Colombian territory requires determining the relevance of the agricultural and livestock production systems promoted by national and international organisms as an economic alternative in the reincorporation of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) ex-combatants. Such is the case with the systems proposed in the Nueva Colombia (New Colombia) farm, located in the Pondores area of the Fonseca municipality in La Guajira, Colombia. In order to answer the question “Are the production systems of the Nueva Colombia farm sustainable?”, we carried out a qualitative agroecological assessment of five systems used (maize [Zea mays L.], cassava [Manihot esculenta Crantz], plantain [Musa x paradisiaca L. var. Hartón], cattle ranching, and poultry farming). Producers, technical consultants, and researchers participated in the assessment, with the goal of establishing a viability baseline and criteria to determine the convenience of allocating resources for the continuity of the systems. The results show that the Nueva Colombia farm is located in a very dry tropical forest life zone. The assessment shows moderate sustainability for plantain and cassava crops and weak sustainability for maize. As for the animal production systems, it was found that cattle ranching is not a sustainable system and that, therefore, its operation is not viable, while poultry farming is moderately sustainable. We concluded that it is not advisable to continue cattle production, and that the resources should be reallocated towards improving the poultry farming system. The agricultural systems require the implementation of practices that increase the specific and spatial diversity of crops, as well as their stress tolerance and the proportion of organic matter in soil.

Hunger currently affects approximately 10% of the global population, underscoring not only socio-economic disparities but also deep-rooted ethical and environmental challenges. This study investigates the interrelationship between food security and development in the Americas, focusing on how these dimensions evolve across time and space. The objective is to analyze the evolution and correlation between the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Sustainable Development Index (SDI) in 21 countries of the Americas between 2012 and 2022, in order to answer the question: How can the right to food be guaranteed without compromising the development of nations? A comparative analysis was carried out using simple averages, cumulative percentage changes and correlations between the three indicators, complemented by a critical interpretation of the ethics of development and sustainability. The results show an average increase of 13% in the GFSI and 2% in the HDI, while the IDS showed a decrease of 1.2%. Some middle-income countries showed significant improvements in sustainability, while nations with high human development showed setbacks. The correlations reveal a positive association between food security and human development, but a weak one between development and sustainability. The analysis shows that economic development alone does not guarantee food security or environmental sustainability. It is necessary to reformulate development measurement frameworks and implement integrated policies that harmonize growth, equity and ecological protection to guarantee the human right to adequate food.

El texto reflexiona en torno a los negocios agropecuarios, sin perder el horizonte de su sostenibilidad. En la primera parte del libro se abarcan los conceptos y la visión de los negocios agrarios, así como el modelo dominante en la economía agroalimentaria global, que favorece los monocultivos de gran escala, industrializados, subsidiados y controlados por corporaciones transnacionales, que marginan a los pequeños productores, los cuales también cuentan con su propio modelo de agronegocio. Mientras que la segunda parte se dedica a la administración en la evolución del negocio agrario, allí se abarca la transición de los agronegocios hacia sistemas sostenibles, la agricultura 4.0, parte de la denominada cuarta revolución tecnológica, así como la transformación comercial para pequeños productores agrícolas en Colombia y la importancia del marketing 4.0. La obra finaliza con un análisis geopolítico para demostrar que los agronegocios no son asunto exclusivo de los Estados, sino que pueden constituirse en herramienta propicia para la planeación rural y operaciones empresariales que contribuyan al desarrollo.