Circular Economy for a Sustainable Agri-Food Supply Chain: A Review for Current Trends and Future Pathways

Giulia Chiaraluce, Deborah Bentivoglio and Adele Finco
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Giulia Chiaraluce: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica Delle, Marche (UNIVPM), 60131 Ancona, Italy
Deborah Bentivoglio: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica Delle, Marche (UNIVPM), 60131 Ancona, Italy
Adele Finco: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (D3A), Università Politecnica Delle, Marche (UNIVPM), 60131 Ancona, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: The current agri-food supply chain is affected by different problems such as food loss and waste generation along the supply chain, and the circular economy offers a possibility to enhance and optimize the production and consumption to seek to a sustainable paradigm. The circular economy can be a winning approach to intervene and moderate the impacts generated in the agri-food sector, proposing actions and solutions to readmit wastes and by-products in the productive chain. The aim of this work was to perform a literature review coupled with a bibliometric analysis, using VOSviewer software, on the circular economy model in the agri-food sector, with particular relevance to the reuse and valorisation of wastes and by-products. Results showed that the topic is of particular relevance in the scientific community, and the concept is continuously evolving. Europe plays a leading role in the research, thanks to the involvement of the Member States, policy makers and stakeholders. Nevertheless, some aspects such as the development of a new economic circular model and some limitations of the current policies deserve further investigation.

Keywords: circular economy; agri-food sector; bibliometric review; food waste; food by-product; sustainable agri-food chains; valorisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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