Analyzing Barriers for Developing a Sustainable Circular Economy in Agriculture in China Using Grey-DEMATEL Approach

Xiqiang Xia and Junhu Ruan
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Xiqiang Xia: Business School, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Junhu Ruan: College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, No. 3, Taicheng Road, Yangling 712100, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 16, 1-25

Abstract: The agricultural economy, as an integral branch of the global economy, covering the whole supply chain of agricultural production including cultivation, processing, distribution and consumption, is of great importance to realizing a sustainable circular economy and ecological development. As a traditional agricultural country, China has experienced a series of problems such as a serious waste of resources and a fragile ecological environment during its agricultural economic development. With the background of “the Belt and Road Initiative”, major progress has been witnessed in both ecological development and agricultural circular economy in China. However, the development of circular agriculture in China has to deal with barriers from different stakeholders. This research identifies critical barriers for the government, farmers, and the enterprises to develop circular agriculture. The causal factors, effect factors, and the center of factors are identified and the correlation between the barriers is described using the Gray-DEMATEL method. Based on the analysis results, several policy suggestions are proposed for the government. This paper provides a feasible framework for decision-making to support the development of a sustainable circular economy in agriculture in China.

Keywords: agriculture; sustainable circular economy; the belt and road; gray-DEMATEL (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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