Agricultural waste valorization has emerged as a sustainable strategy for transforming crop residues, livestock by-products, and agro-industrial wastes into value-added products while minimizing environmental pollution. Circular economy approaches emphasize resource efficiency through recycling, reuse, recovery, and regeneration, thereby reducing waste generation and promoting sustainable agricultural systems. This review highlights recent advancements in agricultural waste conversion technologies, including composting, biochar production, anaerobic digestion, bioenergy generation, bioplastics, and high-value biomaterials. It also examines the socio-economic and environmental benefits of integrating circular economy principles into rural development, such as improved livelihoods, employment generation, enhanced soil health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthened resource security. Furthermore, the review discusses existing challenges, policy interventions, and future research directions for achieving resilient, sustainable, and climate-smart rural economies through effective agricultural waste valorization.

Keywords: Agricultural waste; Circular bioeconomy; Biochar; Anaerobic digestion; Sustainable rural development.