On 27 October 2021, the Transformative Partnership Platform on Agroecology (TPP) organised an online event on ‘Research on agroecology: current strengths and innovative futures for sustainable food systems’, which brought together the world’s leading scientists and experts in agri-food systems research and development, to discuss the important role of scientific inquiry in transitioning to an inclusive and equitable food system based on the principles of agroecology.