A systematic review of trade-off analysis (TOA) in agriculture reveals that current methods often focus on productivity rather than environmental and socio-cultural services, and rarely consider multiple spatial scales or stakeholder involvement. The study analyzed 119 peer-reviewed articles, highlighting that TOA indicators such as profitability, yield, and water quantity are frequently used, while indicators related to social equity, health, and biodiversity are underrepresented. The analysis shows that most studies are conducted at farm or regional scales, with limited cross-scale assessments. Stakeholder engagement is often lacking, and uncertainty and risk are not adequately addressed. The results suggest that TOA needs to incorporate multi-scale analyses, stakeholder involvement, and risk assessment to better support sustainable agricultural practices. The study also identifies gaps in the representation of social and cultural factors, as well as the need for more robust methods to evaluate trade-offs and uncertainties. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of improving TOA methodologies to ensure they are more comprehensive and effective in guiding sustainable agricultural development.A systematic review of trade-off analysis (TOA) in agriculture reveals that current methods often focus on productivity rather than environmental and socio-cultural services, and rarely consider multiple spatial scales or stakeholder involvement. The study analyzed 119 peer-reviewed articles, highlighting that TOA indicators such as profitability, yield, and water quantity are frequently used, while indicators related to social equity, health, and biodiversity are underrepresented. The analysis shows that most studies are conducted at farm or regional scales, with limited cross-scale assessments. Stakeholder engagement is often lacking, and uncertainty and risk are not adequately addressed. The results suggest that TOA needs to incorporate multi-scale analyses, stakeholder involvement, and risk assessment to better support sustainable agricultural practices. The study also identifies gaps in the representation of social and cultural factors, as well as the need for more robust methods to evaluate trade-offs and uncertainties. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of improving TOA methodologies to ensure they are more comprehensive and effective in guiding sustainable agricultural development.