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Most agricultural wastes are rich in cellulose. Through chemical and/or mechanical processes, nanocellulose can be extracted to produce superabsorbent hydrogels. As soil amendments, superabsorbent hydrogels act as water and nutrient reservoirs when applied in agricultural fields. This article reviews the recent advances in agricultural waste-derived nanocellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogels and discusses the possible impacts of their applications in agriculture. The strengths and weaknesses of different current processes and techniques for nanocellulose extraction and hydrogel synthesis are compared. It is found that chemical methods are generally more cost-effective but may pose a threat to ecosystems, whereas physical methods are environmentally friendly but more complicated and expensive. The economic viability of using these novel superabsorbent hydrogels as soil amendments is also …