CIRCULAR ECONOMY APPROACHES IN AGRICULTURE: WASTE REDUCTION AND RESOURCE RECOVERY

The increasing demand for food production, combined with rapid population growth and environmental degradation, has intensified the need for sustainable agricultural systems. Conventional agricultural practices often generate large amounts of waste, including crop residues, livestock manure, food processing by-products, and wastewater, which are frequently discarded or poorly managed. The circular economy has emerged as a sustainable framework that transforms agricultural waste into valuable resources through recycling, reuse, and recovery processes. This review examines the principles of the circular economy in agriculture and explores its role in reducing waste generation, improving resource efficiency, and promoting environmental sustainability. Major circular practices such as composting, anaerobic digestion, bioenergy production, nutrient recycling, and precision agriculture are discussed. The paper also highlights economic and environmental benefits, implementation challenges, and future research directions. Adopting circular economy strategies can significantly improve agricultural sustainability while supporting food security and climate resilience.