Despite the significant environmental and economic promise of frontier agricultural technologies in the Mediterranean, their widespread and equitable adoption faces considerable social hurdles. Varying social acceptance, knowledge gaps, investment concerns among smallholders, and challenges in ensuring fair labour practices threaten to undermine the holistic benefits crucial for the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus. Findings from the FrontAg Nexus project’s systematic literature review and value chain analyses underscore the critical importance of implementing socially responsible practices, ensuring fair labour conditions, promoting gender equality, and actively engaging local communities in the development and deployment of frontier agriculture systems. This integrated approach fosters a just transition that benefits all stakeholders.
