Is it time for a socio-ecological revolution in agriculture?

•Agricultural practices are driven by the ‘intensification’ and not the ‘sustainable’ agenda.•Clear evidence for the ecological underpinning of agriculture is essential.•Alternative systems which use this evidence must be put forward.•Innovation needs to take account of the social context of agriculture. Sustainable intensification is touted as the future for agricultural land management in a world demanding greater food production. Agricultural practices remain primarily driven by the ‘intensification’ and not the ‘sustainable’ agenda. To turn this around requires clear evidence from ecologists about the nature of farming systems, the fundamental underpinning role of natural resources and ecological processes within them and the provision of feasible alternatives. Alternative ecologically based farming systems must reflect current wider food systems and the actors engaged in them with ecologists playing a key role in advocating change; from international global agreements which force political change, through changes in focus for agri-businesses, to decision-making by individual land owners.