General Statement 

IFAMR is actively working with academic associations to provide a joint platform for scholars and practitioners around the world to highlight the latest research advances and solutions to address imminent challenges to the global food and agribusiness system.

The International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research (ICABR) has, over the past three decades, contributed numerous special issues to leading journals in agricultural economics, development, and sustainability, garnering wide recognition and a significant number of citations. 

This special issue, entitled “Circular Bioeconomy and Systems of Sustainability”, invites submissions from the 29th  ICABR Conference, to be held in Saskatoon, Canada, from July 8th to 11th, 2025. This year’s conference will center on the Circular Bioeconomy, likely one of the first major economic conferences dedicated to this emerging topic. This special issue invites applied agricultural economics and agribusiness management scholars attending the conference to submit their high-quality conference submissions, reflecting the cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary insights that have long defined the ICABR community, and that are highly relevant to the scope of IFAMR.

Why this Special Issue?

• Emerging research: The Circular Bioeconomy is a dynamic and evolving field, requiring interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches.
• Policy relevance: Findings can inform decision-makers and stakeholders who need evidence-based recommendations to design and implement policies promoting circular solutions.
• Academic gaps: While the concept of the bioeconomy is well established, its circular dimension and potential, remains under-explored; particularly in lower- and middle-income contexts. 
• Business considerations: Companies seeking economic and political stability must stay informed about potential policy decisions, as regulatory changes can impact market dynamics, investment strategies, and long-term business viability in the Circular Bioeconomy.

Areas of Focus

The proposed Special Issue on “Circular Bioeconomy and Systems of Sustainability” aims to advance both theoretical and empirical understanding of Circular Bioeconomy and Systems of Sustainability, spanning a range of topics, including but not limited to:

1. Innovations in Circular Supply Chains

• Opportunities and barriers in sustainable food and agricultural production systems, bio-based materials, recycling and waste valorization.
• Case studies on sustainable food and agricultural production systems.

2. Policy Instruments and Governance

• Evaluation of existing policy mechanisms promoting circularity (subsidies, taxes, regulations, etc.).
• Institutional frameworks for encouraging collaboration among actors (public, private, and civil society).

3. Economic Analysis of the Circular Bioeconomy

• Cost–benefit assessments, lifecycle analyses, and resource accounting.
• Socio-economic impact, including distributional effects and equity considerations.

4. Technological Advances and Adoption

• Bio-based innovations, including renewable energy and biotechnology applications.
• Role of digital technologies (IoT, blockchain, AI) in enabling circular production and transparent value chains.

5. Sustainability and Resilience

• Climate change adaptation and mitigation within a circular economy framework.
• Strategies for building resilience in rural and urban contexts through bio-based systems.

6. Global Perspectives and Development Implications

• North–South cooperation in bioeconomy technologies and investments.
• Integration of Circular Bioeconomy principles in developing countries’ strategies.

The Special Issue aims to gather cross-disciplinary perspectives from agricultural economists, economists, environmental scientists, policy analysts, business leaders, and social scientists to foster a holistic understanding of how circular principles can be embedded across value chains and society.

Submission Instructions

Step 1
Authors must submit full papers through the Editorial Manager Portal of IFAMR before October 31, 2025. When submitting full papers, authors must select “Circular Bioeconomy and Systems of Sustainability” in the Article Type to have their manuscripts undergo an expedited review process.

Step 2
After initial screening of the submissions for relevance and quality, the guest editors will assign appropriate reviewers in consultation with their expertise. Each paper under review would be subject to a double-blind peer review independently. Papers will be published “in press” as soon as possible after acceptance. But the completed issue is expected in early 2026.

The format of complete manuscripts should follow IFAMR’s author guidelines that can be found at: https://www.ifama.org/submission-guidelines.

Final manuscripts should be uploaded using IFAMR’s online submission portal: https://www.editorialmanager.com/ifamr/default2.aspx.

Special Issue Timeline

October 31, 2025 Submission deadline of full papers. 

Early 2026 Expected publication.

Please direct any questions to:

Lorenza Alexandra Lorenzetti: lorenza.lorenzetti@unitn.it
Hans De Steur: hans.desteur@ugent.be
Enoch Kikulwe (Alliance Bioversity-CIAT): e.kikulwe@cgiar.org
Diego Macall: diego.macall@usask.ca
Justus Wesseler: justus.wesseler@wur.nl
David Zilberman: zilber11@berkeley.edu