Advancing Frontier Research In Agri-Food Processing For Bio-Circular Green (BCG) Economy

Background:The agri-food processing (AFP) sector encompasses various factors from farm to fork, including technological advancements, climate change, price volatility, import-export trade-offs, grassroots economy, society, stakeholders’ participation, policy interventions at national and international scales, and much more. The focus of world has recently shifted to integrating bio-economy with circular and green economy (BCG) in diverse sectors (including AFP) owing to increasing population, adverse climatic fluctuations/events, changing market trends and sustainable developmental goals (SDGs). It becomes imperative to assess the current scenario/status of application of BCG in real world, research span/distribution, technological advancements, educational roles, global indexing (measuring improvement, planning investment and promotion), stakeholder & community strengthening, sustainable growth, strategic planning and policy interventions. This proposed issue highlights practical, measurable, and policy-relevant frameworks that integrate BCG principles into agri-food processing systems.Goal:The unprecedented challenges of agri-food processing (AFP) sector affect the pace of achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recovering from resource depletion and inadequacies across the value chain. New concepts in sustainability and circular economy along with technological advancements are emerging to mitigate these challenges. This research topic aims to integrate work that strategically align agri-food systems with BCG goals. Commonly well-studied aspects of the nexus, as shown in the published literature and research topics, include waste-to-wealth, energy conversion, business opportunities, technology, smart agriculture, soil health, plastics, fertilizers, and chemicals. The current research topic not only addresses these above-mentioned aspects but also seeks to understand BCG interlinking with AFP, apropos to: 1) Advances in biotechnology, digitalisation, AI-driven processing, and community-based models that offer promising solutions; 2) New innovations, their adoption, social impact, and perceptions among diverse stakeholders3) Biodiversity Resilience and Ethical Treatment of Animals4) Identifying grey areas that need greater visibility, replication, and policy support.Recently, the SDGs index and related indicators (especially in the context of STIs) have been developed globally for different organisations. The present research topic, thus in line with SDGs indicators, becomes all the more important and relevant by aiming to look through diverse stakeholder lenses how the AFP-BCG nexus can be measured and quantified. How can government policies help strengthen the BCG platforms? How can education help shape and define the start-ups of the sector? And how can the impact be assessed in reality? How are stakeholders, especially farmers, affected by the concept in reality? What type of new extension models are being undertaken to meet the sector demand? In line with global SDG indexing efforts, this issue focuses on quantifying the AFP–BCG transition, strengthening policy and education frameworks, and assessing its practical impact on stakeholders and extension systems.Specific Themes:1) AFP sector trade-offs with Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability 2) BCG integration in AFP sector and the real world: measures, SDGs, limitations, and advantages3) AI, biotechnology, and digital tools for AFP sustainability4) Assessment Metrics, models, indicators, and indices - framework modifications5) BCG implementation in developing economies6) Perceptions, extension activities, and models7) Policy interventions and recommendations Topic editors: Lochan Singh, Chhavi Sharma Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/73888/advancing-frontier-research-in-agri-food-processing-for-bio-circular-green-bcg-economy