Agricultural and forestry residues encompass the massive volumes of organic, non-food byproducts generated during crop cultivation, timber harvesting and wood processing. Rather than being purpose-grown crops, these materials are the ‘leftovers’ of existing land-management industries. Agricultural field residues typically consist of cereal straw (such as wheat, barley and rice straw), corn stover (stalks and leaves) and sugarcane bagasse. Meanwhile, forestry residues originate either directly from forest floors during logging operations - including tree branches, tops and bark - or from industrial processing facilities in the form of sawdust, wood, shavings and mill scrap. Because they do not compete with human food crops in terms of land, they represent a crucial, highly abundant resource for the global bio economy. 

These residues play a pivotal role in sustainable energy strategies, particularly within hard-to-decarbonise sectors. While historically combusted directly for simple heat and power, advanced bio-refineries now process these residues via pyrolysis and fermentation into next-generation biofuels, including bio-oil, cellulosic ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel - SAF. However, optimising their collection requires a careful environmental balance; harvesting too much residue can strip ecosystems of vital nutrients, meaning a percentage of organic waste must remain on fields and forest floors to preserve soil health, prevent erosion and maintain local biodiversity.