Assessing Circular Economy Opportunities at the Food Supply Chain Level: The Case of Five Piedmont Product Chains

Franco Fassio, Isaac Enrique Perez Borda, Elisa Talpo, Alessandra Savina (), Fabiana Rovera (), Ottavia Pieretto and Davide Zarri
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Franco Fassio: Sustainability and Circular Economy Laboratory, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, 12042 Cuneo, Italy
Isaac Enrique Perez Borda: Sustainability and Circular Economy Laboratory, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, 12042 Cuneo, Italy
Elisa Talpo: Sustainability and Circular Economy Laboratory, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, 12042 Cuneo, Italy
Alessandra Savina: Sustainability and Circular Economy Laboratory, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, 12042 Cuneo, Italy
Fabiana Rovera: Sustainability and Circular Economy Laboratory, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, 12042 Cuneo, Italy
Ottavia Pieretto: Slow Food Piemonte Valle d’Aosta, 10126 Torino, Italy
Davide Zarri: Slow Food Youth Network Italy, Bra, 12042 Cuneo, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-32

Abstract: The impact of linear agri-food supply chains is progressively leading to ever wider socio-environmental and cultural repercussions, undermining the balance of territories and communities to the point of disrupting the entire planet’s health. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a paradigm change involving the agri-food sector, the economic sector, and local public policies, in the direction of a diffused ecological transition. In this scenario, the Circular Economy, supported by the adoption of a Systemic Approach, represents a useful operational tool to respond to complex transversal challenges, to reduce and enhance waste, minimize the use of new raw materials, and strengthen the territorial identity and relations among local stakeholders. This article describes a research project conducted for the Piedmont Region (Italy), through which it was possible to apply these innovative tools and approaches to five typical local agri-food chains (wine, dairy and cheese, rice, water, and bovine beef). Currently, at the Piedmontese level, concrete proposals for public policies capable of supporting the ecological transition of the local agri-food chains have not yet been developed, especially in terms of cyclicality of outputs and territorial co-evolution. For this reason, through the use of a multi-stakeholder approach, participatory mechanisms of local actors, and the analysis of several national and international case studies, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the possible enhancement of food waste and by-products, finally developing specific proposals for good practices and public policies capable of contributing to the achievement of the Piedmontese Regional Strategy for Sustainable Development.

Keywords: circular economy for food; sustainable food supply chains; systemic approach; multi-stakeholder approach; public food policy; local agri-food system; food waste management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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