The global agri-food system must ensure food security for a growing population despite resource scarcity and environmental harm. The convergence of Industry 4.0 technologies and Circular Economy (CE) principles presents a promising solution. This study maps this emerging research domain through a bibliometric analysis of 862 scholarly documents (2011–2025) from the Scopus database. The analysis reveals exponential publication growth, especially after 2020, with China and India leading. The field is highly interdisciplinary, dominated by Engineering, Computer Science, and Environmental Science. Key research clusters include Smart Farming, Supply Chain Optimization, Blockchain, and Waste Valorization. The literature focuses heavily on developing the technological "means" rather than measuring the "ends." There is a significant lack of empirical research assessing how these systems directly impact core food security pillars, such as food access and affordability for vulnerable populations. This "means vs. ends" disconnect highlights an urgent need for future research to shift from technical feasibility to assessing real-world socio-economic outcomes, ensuring technology translates into tangible improvements in global food security.

Keywords

Industry 4.0, Circular Economy, Agri-Food Supply Chain, Food Security, Bibliometric Analysis, VOSviewer, Research Gaps