Growing population and increased demand for food, inefficient resource use and food distribution, environmental impacts, and high rates of food wasted at all stages of the food system are all calling for transition towards more sustainable practices. In this article we apply the concept of circular economy to the case of a sustainable food system. Furthermore, we explore the transition towards a circular food system through the lens of socio-technical transition theory towards sustainability. We discuss challenges and potential solutions for the production stage (focusing on nutrient flow), the consumption stage (focusing on meat consumption), and food waste and surplus management and prevention.

Traditional rural biotopes (TRBs) are high nature value farmlands (HNV). There are only 20.000 ha of identifiableTRB left in Finland. Ecosystem services were explored as a way of better understanding the value of TRBs to society. Postal questionnaires were sent out to all farmers in Raasepori Municipality in SW Finland to locate TRBs. Frequency of on-farm tourism, direct sales and services to the public were compared between farms with and without TRBs. Return rate for questionnaires (n=326) was 40%. Farms with TRBs had a higher rate of services and sales to the general public. A third of respondents with TRBs said their TRBs provide non-agricultural goods or services and 1/4 said their TRBs are utilized by people from off-farm. Changes in policy toward more evidence-based approaches, adaptive management and consideration of ecosystem services could improve conservation of TRBs.