The “Farm to Farm” approach, developed by the City of Athens’ Department of Alternative Waste Management, introduces a pioneering circular reward campaign linking urban bio-waste recovery with local food production.

The concept establishes a nutrient return loop, where compost generated from the city’s brown-bin bio-waste is redistributed to farmers participating in the municipal open-air markets. Through this process, organic residues collected from households are transformed at the municipal treatment facility into high-quality compost and returned to the soil as natural fertilizer, closing the nutrient cycle from urban consumption back to agricultural production.

The first event of the “Farm to Farm” approach will take place on 28 November 2025 at the Archimidous Street market, inaugurating monthly compost distribution to participating producers. The initiative embodies reciprocity (rewarding producers for their role in source-separated collection), participation incentives (strengthening cooperation in bio-waste management), and circular economy principles (ensuring that food’s life cycle continues beyond the plate).

The campaign’s message – “Food travels a full circle that does not stop at the plate” – highlights the cooperation between municipality, citizens, and producers in regenerating soil health and reducing reliance on mineral fertilizers. Scientifically, the concept reflects the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and Waste Framework Directive, promoting nutrient circularity and urban–rural symbiosis. In line with recent studies on closing the nutrient loop, “Farm to Farm” operationalises a local circular bioeconomy, transforming bio-waste from an urban liability into a resource for soil regeneration, food security, and green employment.