Bioeconomy for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production

Agricultural production is one of the traditional sectors of the European Union’s economy, along with food production. Still, it faces several challenges that are exacerbated by ongoing climate change. Agricultural productivity depends to a large extent on two primary resources, namely, land and water. Areas are threatened by erosion; the soil cannot retain water, pesticides contaminate groundwater, and the overall diversity of the agricultural landscape is being reduced. This chapter aims to define the agricultural bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture and define a combined approach to ensure sustainable agriculture and food production. This term encompasses the economic and trade aspects associated with the utilization of biological resources and biotechnologies in agriculture and the food industry. It is the field that explores how to efficiently harness biological resources, improve production processes, and achieve a more sustainable agriculture and food supply chain.