"Stop talking about waste – point to the value instead"

The session, titled Looping into tomorrow’s food systems – Innovative circular bioeconomy as a path to building resilient food systems, brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to explore how circular bioeconomy approaches could transform organic waste into valuable resources for food, feed, fertilisers, bioenergy, and even fashion.

Hosted by SLU in collaboration with Sweden and Kenya, the Swedish FAO Committee, and other partners, including Axfoundation, WeEffect, and the Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative (SIANI), the session showcased how circular bioeconomy models could simultaneously reduce environmental harm and strengthen local food systems.

Addressing solutions instead of challenges

The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers and panellists who shared practical examples and policy insights on advancing circular approaches within agri-food systems.

After a welcome address by Fredrik Alfer, Ministry of Rural Development and Infrastructure, Sweden, Professor Björn Vinnerås, SLU, set the scene by introducing the theme, mainly focusing on how to close the loop of nutrients in food systems. He talked about the value of capturing nitrogen from human urine as a resource in agriculture, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, based on research by his team. The audience was really surprised when he explained that two persons produce 1 tonne of urine per year. 

But there are challenges, not least economically. He continues with an important statement: 

All speakers emphasised the urgency of rethinking waste management as part of the global food security agenda. Organic waste—from household scraps to agricultural by-products—is a major contributor to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, reliance on imported, fossil fuel-based inputs such as synthetic fertilisers and animal feed have left many nations vulnerable to market volatility and supply disruptions. How these two challenges can be intertwined to create a circular bioeconomy was discussed during the session.

New solutions create new pathways for innovative products

Christian Sjöland from Axfoundation informed the audience that one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted along the value chain, contributing to roughly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. He mentioned a study done by the European Union showing that by minimising loss and waste, 70% of the European land use and 30% of the CO² emissions of the food systems could be reduced, while feeding the entire European population.

He gave several examples on novel foods produced by Axfoundation. For example protein rich brownies made by 20% beef blood, covering a high percentage of the daily iron intake, Caesar dressing based on vendace, a by-product from using the fish’s roe, bread made out of by-products from oat milk production, and a new technology to extract more meat from fish.  

Several speakers also highlighted successful initiatives involving Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, which convert organic waste into animal feed and fertiliser. This low-tech method has proven effective in many urban areas in low-income countries, including Kenya, as described by Dr. Beatrice Tuei, Agriculture Attaché at the Embassy of Kenya in Rome.

Maria Tadesse from WeEffect gave another example of the use of the BSF technology, the Waste for Cash-project on economic empowerment of women and youth, in Kenya, where often local markets produce a lot of waste. Women and young people are actively involved in cultivating the larvae, selling the resulting products, which supports agriculture and local livelihoods. This approach fosters empowerment and enhances financial independence.  

 Christian Zurbrügg (Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, and SLU) emphasised the importance for the BSF farmers to work together to share knowledge, ideas and development. Modern technology, such as a free online app, has been proved to be a useful tool to connect these farmers between different regions, countries and continents. 

Building resilient food systems globally

By viewing organic waste as a resource rather than a burden, communities could drive local economic growth, advance climate-smart agriculture, and reinforce food system resilience—particularly in urban and peri-urban areas.

Discussions throughout the session highlighted the potential of circular bioeconomy practices to bridge disconnected systems, promote self-sufficient and climate-smart communities, and enhance food sovereignty. By fostering cross-sector collaboration, discussions highlighted that innovative, bio-based circular solutions are both environmentally responsible and economically viable pathways toward a more resource-efficient and resilient global food future.

Read more:

Innovation and drivers for circularity and bioeconomy FAO 2025

Sanitation 360 - convert urine to dry-fertiliser