Between 1994 and 2024, agroecology research in Africa expanded from a focus on soil fertility, organic matter management and agroforestry towards a broader examination of sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, biodiversity, food security and agricultural policy. Published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability in 2026, this bibliometric analysis by Tina Lešnik, Erick Ogello, Nicholas Outa and Andreja Borec maps three decades of scientific literature to examine how the field has evolved, which themes have gained prominence and how researchers collaborate across institutions and countries.

The authors analysed 397 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus, using VOSviewer to examine publication trends, keyword co-occurrence, thematic clusters and co-authorship networks. Annual publication output increased substantially, reaching 45 articles in 2021 and 40 in both 2023 and 2024. Three main thematic clusters emerged: environmental sustainability and policy, crop production and soil management, and region-specific research. The findings indicate a shift from crop- and soil-centred studies towards more integrated approaches linking agricultural productivity with environmental and socio-economic dimensions. Agricultural and biological sciences accounted for the largest share of publications, followed by environmental science and social sciences.

Despite this growth, research activity remains unevenly distributed across African countries. The authors identify the need for greater investment in research capacity, stronger collaboration among African institutions and increased support for African-led scholarship. The study also acknowledges limitations arising from its reliance on Scopus-indexed, English-language publications, which may exclude relevant research. Its findings provide an evidence base for understanding research priorities and gaps in the development of agroecology across the continent.