The New Era of Food and Agriculture: Sustainable Strategies to Achieve Zero Hunger

Dear Colleagues,

The pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has highlighted the imperative of achieving zero waste and zero hunger. This topic explores the complex relationships among agriculture, food waste, animal nutrition, the recovery of bioactive compounds and food security in the context of the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Delving into the dynamics of agricultural practices, animal nutrition, food quality, food prices and their impact on food security, this topic proposes a way to align with circular economy principles that replaces "end of life" with "reduce, reuse, recycle and recover" by extending the useful life of by-products and waste materials. Investigating the multifaceted connections between these elements will provide the essential insights needed to design practical interventions to effectively address the dual challenge of waste reduction and hunger. Practical interventions in reducing the losses via the valorization and upcycling of food waste in animal nutrition and generating value-added products represent a solution for a social and environmental concern that currently affects the agri-food supply chain. The research article will contribute to understanding how we can achieve the goal of fostering a more sustainable, resilient, and healthier food system.

The research article may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Investigating the shift from a linear to a circular economy in agriculture, focusing on principles like "reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover" to extend the useful life of by-products materials and minimize waste, by using them in animals nutrition;
• Exploring the dynamics between agricultural practices, animal nutrition studies, products quality, and food prices, and their direct impact on ensuring food security;
• Researching the recovery of bioactive compounds from food waste, by-products/coproducts and their potential impact on animals nutrition, food quality and security and the circular economy;
• Studying methods to reduce food waste by valorising and upcycling it into value-added products, contributing to social and environmental sustainability within the agri-food supply chain;
• Designing practical interventions that effectively address the interconnected challenges of waste reduction and hunger, aiming to provide insights for sustainable solutions;
• Investigating strategies to align food systems with sustainability goals, considering environmental conservation, economic viability, and social inclusivity;
• Understanding how to foster more resilient, healthier food systems that meet sustainable development goals by integrating principles of sustainability, resilience, and health.

Dr. Petru Alexandru Vlaicu
Dr. Arabela Elena Untea
Dr. Teodora Popova
Topic Editors