Measuring the holistic performance of food and agricultural systems: a systematic review

Assessing the performance of food and agricultural systems is crucial for their transformation toward sustainability, health, and resilience. To ensure agrifood systems serve multiple functions effectively, a holistic systems perspective is essential. Previous reviews of assessment methods have focused mainly on farm-level evaluations, often lacking a comprehensive framework for holistic analysis. This study evaluates 206 assessment approaches based on four key principles of holistic systems assessment: (1) measuring multiple dimensions of performance, (2) integrating diverse stakeholder perspectives, (3) evaluating emergent system properties, and (4) collecting and presenting data to reveal interactions, synergies, and trade-offs for informed decision-making. While recognition of holistic assessment is growing, most evaluations remain narrowly focused on performance metrics, with only 14% of assessments addressing synergies and trade-offs and 26% considering emergent system properties. A shift toward systemic framings, such as agroecology, is observed, highlighting the importance of broader contextual approaches. The study concludes that no single assessment framework can universally apply across all agrifood systems due to their inherent diversity. Instead, it emphasizes the need for clear guidance to help practitioners navigate existing methods and develop tailored assessments that address specific needs. The meta-framework proposed in this review offers structured guidance for designing effective holistic systems assessments, ensuring more comprehensive evaluations.

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