Fertilization in a circular food system

The prevailing food system is a critical driver for transgressing the planetary boundaries of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) biogeochemical cycles. Circularity, as a novel paradigm, might be a valid solution to transform the current food system towards more sustainable nutrient cycling. However, the concept of circularity is still highly conceptual. More research is therefore needed to assess the effect of circular food systems on nutrient cycles. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of a circular food system on the N and P biogeochemical cycles on a global and national scale. This research is structured into four objectives. First, we assess the impacts of a global circular crop production system on the bio-geochemical nitrogen and phosphorus cycles. In the second and third steps, the impact of a global circular food system on the bio-geochemical nitrogen and phosphorus cycles will be examined, respectively. In the fourth step, we assess the potential of short-term strategies that reshape the current towards a more circular food system in the case-country Bangladesh. All four research questions will build upon the partly developed Circular Food System (CiFoS) model, a linear optimisation model coded in GAMS. The results can help to find new action points and strategies to (re-)cycle nutrients back into the food system on a global and national scale.