Tackling Food Waste: How Agri-Enterprises Can Lead the Way to a Circular Economy

Dr Fern Baker, previous AFCP-joint funded PhD student, would like input from farmers, urban growers, and individuals in Agri-Enterprise in England to understand more about food loss and what strategies they are using (or could use) to add value and reduce waste. Fern is now a Lecturer in Sustainability at Bournemouth University and this is a joint project between Bournemouth University and University of Lancashire. the

Across England, Agri-Enterprises (businesses involved in farming, food production, and agricultural services) are facing a critical challenge: food loss. From crops left unharvested to produce lost post-harvest, this loss not only impacts farmers’ incomes but also contributes to environmental strain and missed opportunities for sustainability.

Why does this matter?

Food loss is more than just waste. It is a symptom of deeper issues like:

• Weak market access and poor policy support
• Limited land rights and social protections
• Inefficient supply chains that do not support reuse or recycling.

These problems are especially visible in rural areas, where farmers often lack the resources to reinvest in their businesses or transition to more sustainable practices.

A New Vision: Circular Agriculture

Imagine a food system where nothing goes to waste. Where leftover crops are turned into compost, bioenergy, or new products. A circular agricultural economy offers a system that reuses, recycles, and reduces waste at every stage.
But designing such a system is not as simple. It requires:

• Custom solutions tailored to local needs
• New business models that include end-of-life strategies for products and services
• Stronger support for farmers and urban growers alike.

Our Research: Understanding the Roots of Food Loss

We’re conducting a study to explore how Agri-Enterprises (both rural and urban) experience food loss and what strategies they are using (or could use) to add value and reduce waste.
Our goals:

1. Investigate the causes of food loss and assess how ready Agri-Enterprises are to adopt circular practices.
2. Explore innovative business models that turn waste into value, supporting both sustainability and profitability.

We Need Your Voice!

Are you a farmer, urban grower, or involved in an Agri-Enterprise in England? We’d love to hear from you. Please take our short survey to share your experiences and help shape a more sustainable future for agriculture. Participants must be aged 18 or over and directly engaged in, or knowledgeable about food production, waste management, or related policy/administrative roles. It takes around 10 minutes to complete and will close in mid-October 2025.
Survey link: https://uclan.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Pdl2j3jdrLkNcG

Your insights could help influence policy, support innovation, and build a food system that works for everyone. Please share this post or the survey link with any farmers or agricultural contacts in your network. Every response helps build a more sustainable future for farming.

Any questions then please contact Dr Olatunbosun Sanusi, School of Business, UCLan PR1 2HE, email:osanusi@uclan.ac.uk and/or Dr Fern Baker, Lecturer in Sustainability, Bournemouth University, Life and Environmental Sciences, BH12 5BB, email: bakerf@bournemouth.ac.uk

Thank you for supporting this important work from the research team. Dr Fern Baker (Bournemouth University) , Dr Olatunbosun Sanusi (University of Central Lancashire), Dr Rounaq Nayak (UWE Bristol) , Denis Mwai (University of Central Lancashire) and Maher Negar (University of Central Lancashire), and Dr Huy Phan (University of Lancashire) .