Sustaining Queensland’s Agricultural Sector: Challenges and Opportunities from the Bioeconomy and the Circular Economy

Abstract

Queensland’s agricultural sector is under increasing pressure to provide food to growing populations as well as ‘feeding’ new fibre, fuel and foliage markets. However, the sector is currently facing major challenges, including climatic factors, soil degradation and increasing social scrutiny, but despite these challenges, Queensland’s agricultural sector is growing. It is also seeing diversification across commodities, in particular a move to high-value products and also technological innovation to meet demand for bioproducts and biofuels. Soil is a precious, non-renewable resource. Soil health and soil management, along with the availability of water, largely determine the level of food production. Healthier soils mean healthier food and more prosperous communities. However, soil can be lost forever as a result of intense rainfall when left unprotected or unsupported by appropriate land management practices. Queensland’s agricultural sector has an established history of managing its waste streams effectively, ranging from innovative valueadded products on-farm to combat food waste to organics and nutrient recycling and also bioenergy production. The return of valuable nutrients back to soil as part of a holistic and effective resource management strategy is essential. However, with increasing demand for bio-resources, will Queensland’s agricultural soils lose out to higher-value bioeconomy applications? This chapter discusses the importance of agricultural soils in Queensland and some specific challenges and outlines the risks and opportunities from the state’s emerging bioeconomy industry and returning nutrients to soil as part of a circular economy approach.