IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v13y2023i11p2047-d1266818.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Developing an Evaluation Framework for Circular Agriculture: A Pathway to Sustainable Farming

Author

Listed:
  • Steliana Rodino

    (Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, 61 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, 011464 Bucharest, Romania
    National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 296 Splaiul Independenţei, District 6, 060031 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Ruxandra Pop

    (Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, 61 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, 011464 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Cristina Sterie

    (Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, 61 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, 011464 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Andreea Giuca

    (Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, 61 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, 011464 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Eduard Dumitru

    (Institute of Research for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, 61 Mărăști Blvd., District 1, 011464 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

This article examines how circularity can be measured and evaluated in the agricultural sector. Circularity represents a key approach for promoting sustainability in agriculture and for the efficient management of resources. Through a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and employing rigorous selection methods, we identify the relevant indicators and tools for assessing circularity in the agri-food chain. The initial bibliometric analysis was performed by using a Biblioshiny instrument from R package tool Bibliometrics. Additionally, this article analyzes the methodologies based on the indicators and metrics that can be applied to measure the restorative capacity and effectiveness of the agricultural system. Most current research follows the 3R principles of the circular economy and establishes an evaluation index system based on the regional characteristics. Methods such as the multi-criteria decision analysis, data envelopment analysis, and life cycle assessment are the most used to date. For the micro-level analysis, system dynamics, material flow analysis, and emergy analysis were the most suitable. Our results provide a clear perspective on the current state of the research in the field of measuring circularity in agriculture and lay the groundwork for the future development of effective strategies for implementing the circular economy in this crucial sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Steliana Rodino & Ruxandra Pop & Cristina Sterie & Andreea Giuca & Eduard Dumitru, 2023. "Developing an Evaluation Framework for Circular Agriculture: A Pathway to Sustainable Farming," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2023:i:11:p:2047-:d:1266818
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/11/2047/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/11/2047/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Felipe Romero-Perdomo & Miguel Ángel González-Curbelo, 2023. "Integrating Multi-Criteria Techniques in Life-Cycle Tools for the Circular Bioeconomy Transition of Agri-Food Waste Biomass: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Justas Streimikis & Mahyar Kamali Saraji, 2022. "Green productivity and undesirable outputs in agriculture: a systematic review of DEA approach and policy recommendations," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 819-853, December.
    3. Simona-Roxana Ulman & Costica Mihai & Cristina Cautisanu & Ioan-Sebastian Brumă & Oana Coca & Gavril Stefan, 2021. "Environmental Performance in EU Countries from the Perspective of Its Relation to Human and Economic Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Tom Waas & Jean Huge & Thomas BLOCK & Tarah Wright & Francisco Javier Benitez Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability assessment and indicators: Tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/189410, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Walters, Jeffrey P. & Archer, David W. & Sassenrath, Gretchen F. & Hendrickson, John R. & Hanson, Jon D. & Halloran, John M. & Vadas, Peter & Alarcon, Vladimir J., 2016. "Exploring agricultural production systems and their fundamental components with system dynamics modelling," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 333(C), pages 51-65.
    6. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
    7. Franco Fassio & Chiara Chirilli, 2023. "The Circular Economy and the Food System: A Review of Principal Measuring Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    8. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    9. Patrizia Ghisellini & Amos Ncube & Gloria Rotolo & Chiara Vassillo & Serena Kaiser & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2023. "Evaluating Environmental and Energy Performance Indicators of Food Systems, within Circular Economy and “Farm to Fork” Frameworks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-38, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Georgia Parastatidou & Vassilios Chatzis, 2024. "A Meta-Indicator for the Assessment of Misleading Sustainability Claims," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-15, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    2. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    3. Patrizia Ghisellini & Ivana Quinto & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2024. "Exploring environmental and social performances of circular start‐ups: An orientation and certification assessment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3222-3241, May.
    4. Hervé Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. "Critiques of the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 421-432, April.
    5. Nan-Hua Nadja Yang & Ana Carolina Bertassini & Jéssica Alves Justo Mendes & Mateus Cecílio Gerolamo, 2021. "The ‘3CE2CE’ Framework—Change Management Towards a Circular Economy: Opportunities for Agribusiness," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 697-718, September.
    6. Mark Anthony Camilleri, 2020. "European environment policy for the circular economy: Implications for business and industry stakeholders," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(6), pages 1804-1812, November.
    7. Leticia Sarmento dos Muchangos, 2022. "Mapping the Circular Economy Concept and the Global South," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 71-90, March.
    8. Julian Kirchherr & Andrea Urbinati & Kris Hartley, 2023. "Circular economy: A new research field?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(5), pages 1239-1251, October.
    9. Arijit Bhattacharya & Shefali Srivastava & Abhijit Majumdar, 2024. "Circular supply chains in manufacturing—Quo vadis? Accomplishments, challenges and future opportunities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4397-4423, July.
    10. Iordanis Eleftheriadis & Evgenia Anagnostopoulou, 2024. "Developing a Tool for Calculating the Carbon Footprint in SMEs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-23, February.
    11. D.G.K. Dissanayake & D. Weerasinghe, 2022. "Towards Circular Economy in Fashion: Review of Strategies, Barriers and Enablers," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 25-45, March.
    12. Carlos F. A. Arranz & Caleb Kwong & Vania Sena, 2023. "The effect of consumption and production policies on circular economy business models: A machine learning approach," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(4), pages 1089-1104, August.
    13. Ioana-Maria Toplicean & Adina-Daniela Datcu, 2024. "An Overview on Bioeconomy in Agricultural Sector, Biomass Production, Recycling Methods, and Circular Economy Considerations," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-25, July.
    14. Roxana Lavinia Pacurariu & Sorin Daniel Vatca & Elena Simina Lakatos & Laura Bacali & Mircea Vlad, 2021. "A Critical Review of EU Key Indicators for the Transition to the Circular Economy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-19, August.
    15. Figge, Frank & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson & Manzhynski, Siarhei, 2021. "Between you and I: A portfolio theory of the circular economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    16. Vesna Alivojvodic & Filip Kokalj, 2024. "Drivers and Barriers for the Adoption of Circular Economy Principles towards Efficient Resource Utilisation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-16, February.
    17. Cristina Ciliberto & Katarzyna Szopik‐Depczyńska & Małgorzata Tarczyńska‐Łuniewska & Alessandro Ruggieri & Giuseppe Ioppolo, 2021. "Enabling the Circular Economy transition: a sustainable lean manufacturing recipe for Industry 4.0," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3255-3272, November.
    18. Patricia Guarnieri & Lucio Camara e Silva & Fazli Haleem & Augusto Bianchini & Jessica Rossi & Brian Vejrum Wæhrens & Sami Farooq & Edgar Reyes & André Luiz Nascimento Reis & Barbara de Oliveira Vieir, 2022. "How Can We Measure the Prioritization of Strategies for Transitioning to a Circular Economy at Macro Level? A New Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-31, December.
    19. Andrew Wear, 2023. "Emergent concepts in local economic development," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 38(8), pages 804-826, December.
    20. Naiara Uriarte-Gallastegi & Beñat Landeta-Manzano & German Arana-Landín & Iker Laskurain-Iturbe, 2022. "How Do Technologies Based on Cyber–Physical Systems Affect the Environmental Performance of Products? A Comparative Study of Manufacturers’ and Customers’ Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-26, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2023:i:11:p:2047-:d:1266818. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.