Written by Cambium — Leben in Gemeinschaft (LIG)
Circular agriculture is redefining how we think about farming, resource use, and long-term sustainability. Traditional agricultural systems typically follow a one-way path: resources are extracted, food is produced, and waste, whether water, nutrients, or organic matter, is discarded. In contrast, a circular economy approach aims to close loops, transforming waste streams into valuable resources and helping food systems become more resilient, efficient, and climate-adaptive.
As a pilot partner in the EU-funded GEORGIA project, Cambium — Leben in Gemeinschaft (LIG), an ecovillage in the Southeast of Austria, is exploring how circular economy principles can be integrated into daily life and its on-site market gardening. With a strong ecological identity and a commitment to regenerative living, LIG aims to become a pioneering site for closed-loop resource systems, sustainable food production, and climate resilience.
At the LIG pilot site, organic waste and sewage sludge are transformed into valuable resources through a holistic, regenerative approach. Sewage sludge is processed in a reed humification basin, where reed roots dewater and stabilise the sludge through microbial activity without the need for external energy. The drainage water flows back to the existing mechanical wastewater pre-treatment unit and, together with the blackwater from the chamber tanks, is then returned to the vertECO® constructed wetland. The vertECO® is a vertical green wall system that purifies blackwater while simultaneously making the nutrients contained therein, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, available for reuse. This nutrient-rich, treated wastewater is used for irrigation of the nearby garden. Additionally, it is combined with biochar and bokashi, a fermented biomass made from the community’s own kitchen waste. Biochar is partly mixed with human urine and bokashi to create a slow-release fertiliser that closes nutrient loops while enhancing soil fertility, structure, and water-holding capacity. Additional compost, sourced from the local composting plant or produced on-site from stable manure, shrub cuttings, and kitchen scraps, further enriches the soil.
Together, these low-tech, integrated practices increase soil organic carbon, improve the humus structure, and build a resilient soil ecosystem. The result is a soil environment that supports sustainable vegetable cultivation while eliminating the need for artificial fertilisers. Enhanced water retention and improved soil water-holding capacity help to make crops more resilient against prolonged droughts and heavy rainfall events, which are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change. At the same time, nutrient cycles—including kitchen and farm waste, urine, and garden cuttings—are fully closed, creating a self-sustaining, circular system: “From the Field to the Plate, Into the Toilet, and Back to the Field”
Through this combination of reed humification, vertECO® treatment, composting, bokashi, and biochar alongside rainwater harvesting, storage, and reuse, LIG demonstrates a practical and scalable example of circular economy principles in action, turning waste streams into fertile soil, conserving water and nutrients, and strengthening the resilience of small-scale agricultural systems. Aligned with the mission of GEORGIA, which is dedicated to turning water management and soil health challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth and innovation, the nature-based solutions implemented at this pilot provide a tangible blueprint for circular agriculture, hoping to foster dialogues with local and regional farmers and stakeholders, and to inspire communities and farms across Europe to adopt resilient, regenerative practices that benefit both people and the environment.
