Food and energy security sustainable intensification special issue editorial

In November 2017 the Association of Applied Biologists and the Sustainable Intensification Research Platform (SIP) held a conference on Sustainable Intensification (SI) at Rothamsted Research. The SI conference reported findings of a four‐year multidisciplinary research programme funded by UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. Articles exploring a number of key themes from that conference form a Special Issue of Food and Energy Security on sustainable intensification. This editorial explores the continuing societal challenges that underlie the sustainable intensification project and calls for ongoing efforts in this area that focus equally on social, economic and environmental approaches to these challenges. Eight articles discussing key elements of a conference on Sustainable Intensification (SI), based on a four‐year DEFRA funded body of research, are included in this special issue of Food and Energy Security. This special issue editorial argues that the underlying challenges that underpinned the SI research continue to be of significant importance to society.