Circular economy and sustainable agriculture

Reduce food waste and optimize resources

Faced with the environmental and food challenges of the 21st century, agriculture is at a turning point. The conventional agricultural model, based on a linear logic of intensive production, is showing its limits in terms of ecological impact and waste of resources. Against this backdrop, the circular economy applied to agriculture is emerging as a promising solution for reconciling food production, environmental preservation and resource optimization.

Circular economy principles applied to agriculture

The circular economy aims to decouple economic growth from the depletion of natural resources. Applied to agriculture, it is based on several key principles:

– Closing the nutrient and organic matter cycles

– Adding value to agricultural by-products and waste

– Optimize use of resources (water, energy, inputs)

– Favoring short circuits and local roots

– Promoting biodiversity and ecosystem services

In practical terms, this means implementing innovative farming practices to reduce waste and optimize resource use throughout the food value chain.

Agroecology, a pillar of circular agriculture

Agroecology is one of the pillars of this circular agriculture. Inspired by the functioning of natural ecosystems, it aims to design more autonomous, resource-efficient agricultural production systems.

Agro-ecological practices that promote circularity include :

– Long, diversified crop rotations, which reduce the need for chemical inputs and improve soil fertility.

– Agroforestry, which combines trees and crops on the same plot of land, optimizing the use of space and resources.

– Combined crops and plant cover, which maximize biomass production and protect the soil.

– The integration of agriculture and livestock, which favors the closing of nutrient cycles at farm level.