The quality of meta-analyses in agricultural sustainability has been increasing, but weaknesses persist

Schievano, A., Bosco, S., Pérez-Soba, M., Montero-Castaño, A., Catarino, R., Chen, M., Tamburini, G., Landoni, B., Mantegazza, O., Rega, C., Guerrero, I., Bielza, M., Van der Velde, M., Paracchini, M.L., See, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-7065, Terres, J.-M., & Makowski, D. (2026). The quality of meta-analyses in agricultural sustainability has been increasing, but weaknesses persist. npj Sustainable Agriculture 4 (1) e48. 10.1038/s44264-026-00148-7.

Preview

Text s44264-026-00148-7.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Meta-analyses (MAs) are needed to inform agricultural policies on sustainable farming practices (FPs). This study assesses the quality against established criteria of 570 MAs published from 2000-2023 and included in the recently published “JRC-Farming Practices Evidence Library”. We find that average MA quality significantly improved ( p < 0.001) over time. However, about two-thirds of the assessments showed deficiencies in at least four areas, notably study selection and publication bias reporting. MAs related to animal husbandry, manure management, and those synthesizing modelling-derived outcomes demonstrated particularly low quality. Less than 40% of MAs provided accessible original data, limiting reproducibility and re-use. These shortcomings may hinder the full potential of MAs to support evidence-based policy. We propose recommendations to promote FAIR data sharing, enhance awareness, and encourage greater transparency in reporting, which a needed to strengthen the role of MAs in agricultural sustainability.

Actions (login required)

View Item