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Not sure what to do with your farm’s waste? Circular Economy is the solution!
Do you have leftover waste on your property and don’t know what to do with it? The circular economy can solve your problems.
You’ve probably already read the well-known phrase by the scientist Antoine Lavoisier, who says that “In nature nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is transformed.”
Based on this concept, we can define Circular Economy as a set of sustainable activities that promote the reuse and recycling of materials, with the objective of extending the useful life of these products and following a cycle of
integrated activities, as occurs in nature.
So, can you imagine what benefits the circular economy can bring? The advantages of practicing and promoting activities considered sustainable lie mainly in the possibility of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the availability of resources for the future generation, in an economically viable way.
Thus, the circular economy is present in different environments and situations, and can be used by companies and industries in their most diverse services and stages, from the acquisition of raw material to the preparation of the final product and its distribution.
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The reuse of residential waste is an example of circular economy, and it is a constantly growing activity, followed by the practice of circular economy in agriculture, which is considered an excellent alternative to bring more sustainability and profitability to the farm.
With the circular economy, it is possible to integrate the farm’s activities, reusing waste in all stages of production, creating a positive cycle. Do you want to see an example?
- Main activity: production of different crops;
- Secondary activity: animal production (cattle, chicken, pig);
- Accumulation of animal waste and crop residues;
- Use of waste in the composting process;
- Production of stabilized organic compost.
Good organic fertilization enhances life in the soil and, consequently, the production of crops, making them healthier, more nutritious and resistant to the attack of pests and diseases, contributing to the continuity and success of integrated activities.
Composting is a practice that has become well known and valued in the field, as it increases the economy of the producer (who starts using less external inputs) and increases his profitability (due to the increase in agricultural productivity). But how does composting take place and how does it relate to the circular economy?
Composting is nothing more than a way to boost decomposition and waste transformation processes, something that already happens in nature.
The farm’s residues, whether vegetable or animal, can be used in the composting process, where there will be the proliferation of different microorganisms that act at different stages of this process, which must be monitored by specialists.
In the end, you reach the stabilized organic compost, which acts in the recovery of degraded areas, reduces dependence and the need for external inputs, increases soil organic matter, among other benefits…
Now that you know that, don’t waste the property leavings anymore!
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Author: Gabriella Brandão and Maria Antônia de Carvalho, trainees at IBA – Brazilian Institute of Agroecology.