How can biodiversity and reliance on ecological processes drive productive, resilient agricultural ecosystems? This question frames a core challenge in ecology: how to create multifunctional agricultural ecosystems that provide ecosystem services and sustain livelihoods and human well-being. This Inspire session will investigate approaches to research and applied knowledge in agricultural ecosystems. We will explore the state-of-knowledge and practical applications for cutting-edge research in agroecology, highlighting ecological outcomes, support for livelihoods, and ecosystem services that sustain broader public goods such as carbon sequestration to support climate regulation.