DIGITALISATION AS A DRIVER FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS IN THE AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Abstract

The article examines digitalisation as a systemic driver of the transition of the agro-industrial complex towards circular business models. It argues that the combination of digital platforms, the Internet of Things, remote sensing, data analytics and traceability technologies changes not only the technical parameters of production but also the architecture of value creation in agribusiness. Based on recent academic literature, international analytical reports and Ukrainian policy documents, the paper identifies five functional channels of this influence: enhanced transparency of resource flows, reduction of losses along agrifood chains, wider opportunities for re-use of by-products, expansion of service-based and platform models of cooperation, and stronger traceability of agricultural products. The study substantiates that digitalisation in the agro-industrial complex should be treated not as an isolated technological trend but as an economic mechanism of business model redesign affecting revenue streams, cost structures, partnership configurations and performance criteria. Using current statistical and policy sources, the paper shows that this transformation is particularly important for Ukraine under wartime instability, high resource pressure, logistical constraints and the need to restore the competitiveness of the agricultural sector in the European market. An applied logic of implementing a digital-circular business model is proposed, covering digital audit of resource flows, selection of a relevant circular solution, integration of digital tools, development of a performance indicator system and scaling of the chosen model. It is demonstrated that the economic effect of digitalisation in circular agriculture is associated not only with cost reduction but also with improved manageability, adaptability and market value of agricultural business.