Circularity in Agriculture: Not a Slogan, but a Design Choice
Today, “circularity” sits at the center of almost every sustainability narrative. Yet more often than not, the concept is reduced to recycling waste or returning organic matter to the soil. Agriculture, however, is our most critical challenge — and circularity in agriculture is a far deeper structural issue. It is about whether the system can sustain itself as a whole, reduce its dependence on external inputs, and protect the long-term productivity of the soil. A truly circular agricultural system is not a short-term solution but a design that matures over time. Unfortunately, modern agriculture rarely has the patience to allow this maturation. Farmers are squeezed each year between volatile prices, rising input costs, climate risks, and market pressures. Under such conditions, building a “cycle” can seem like a luxury. In reality, the true luxury is trying to maintain the system in its current form. The purest form of circularity appears in small-scale production. The farmer is both p...