Introduction

The ways that humans and insects interact have serious implications for the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of agri-food systems. Issues such as crop damage, pesticide use, and biological control of pests can have significant impacts on farms’ economic vitality, the ability of agricultural producers to satisfy human food and fiber needs, efficient use of environmental resources, and adoption of ecologically sustainable farming practices. As well, there is increasing interest and practice in arthropod-based industries that have the potential to play a role in the sustainable agri-food systems of the future. Here, the lack of scientific knowledge to help support ideas around insects as bio-transformers, circular economy and pest management is hampering transition to successful application.

Further, science that focuses on greater understanding of human-insect interactions can promote regenerative practices and improve agriculture’s ability to mitigate a changing climate and support resilient, biodiverse ecologies. To do so efficiently and effectively will involve collaboration among a wide variety of disciplines including sociologists, entomologists, bioethicists, economists, practitioners, citizens, and more. A more nuanced understanding of how human and insect systems interact--and the potential environmental, economic, and social impacts of managing insects in agri-food systems and new insect-based industries--will broaden and ground approaches by these experts to create effective and sustainable change.

Goal and Recommended Topics

The goal of this Special Issue is to capture new and existing research and approaches to understanding human-insect interactions and their impact on environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable agrifood systems.

We welcome the submission of a range of different article types (research papers, critical reviews, opinion pieces) focusing on empirical and methodological topics related to human-insect interactions and/or transdisciplinary collaboration between social and entomological scientists. Potential areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following topics: determinants of pest management approaches including pesticide use, food sovereignty and edible insects, economic considerations for pest control options, health and safety of agricultural workers interacting with pests, insects' roles in agroecosystems, bio-transformation and the circular economy, and best practices for and experiences in transdisciplinary collaboration among human and insect sciences.

All manuscripts will be peer-reviewed and will be expected to meet the usual standards required for publication in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems or Bulletin of Entomological Research.

Please submit your manuscript here and indicate that it is intended for inclusion in the Special Collection.

Deadline for submission: 31st October 2024