Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Circular Economy in Agri-food Systems

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Strategic Decision Making for Sustainable Management of Industrial Networks

Part of the book series: Greening of Industry Networks Studies ((GINS,volume 8))

Abstract

In recent years, demand for food has increased. On the one hand, population, economies, and the urbanization rates have grown increasingly worldwide. On the other hand, increased waste food at all stages of the agri-food systems, including production, storage, processing, wholesale, and consumption, puts enormous pressure on producing as much food as possible. The main results of the inefficiency in meeting the demand for food in agri-food systems are a loss of productivity, energy, and natural resources that finally prove to be expensive. Using the principles of circular economy (CE) provides a kind of solution to minimize waste in agri-food systems and meet demand for food. In other words, implementing CE in agri-food systems leads to a reduction in waste, and there is a possibility to use the waste in question as by-products or co-products in agri-food systems. Applying CE principles in agri-food systems implies implementing policies and decisions at different stages of agri-food systems. In this chapter, we discuss the main decisions and policies that can facilitate the implementation of CE in agri-food systems and help create new opportunities for value-added activities by focusing mainly on the production and consumption of food and on waste management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agrocycle. (2017). Agrocycle 2017 [Online]. Available: www.agrocycle.eu. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.

  • Alexandratos, N., & Bruinsma, J. (2012). World agriculture towards 2030/2050: the 2012 revision.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, P. (2010). Realizing justice in local food systems. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 3(2), 295–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berkes, F., Colding, J., & Folke, C. e. (2008). Navigating social-ecological systems: Building resilience for complexity and change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campanhola, C., & Pandey, S. (2019). Sustainable food and agriculture (pp. 305–330). London: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordell, D., Drangert, J. O., & White, S. (2009). The story of phosphorus: global food security and food for thought. Global environmental change, 19(2), 292–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Boer, I. J., & van Ittersum, M. K. (2018). Circularity in agricultural production. In Animal production systems and plant production systems. Wageningen: Wageningen University and Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Boer, J., Schösler, H., & Aiking, H. (2014). “Meatless days” or “less but better”? Exploring strategies to adapt Western meat consumption to health and sustainability challenges. Appetite, 76, 120–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duizer, L. M., Robertson, T., & Han, J. (2009). Requirements for packaging from an ageing consumer’s perspective. Packaging Technology and Science: An International Journal, 22(4), 187–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elser, J. J. (2012). Phosphorus: a limiting nutrient for humanity? Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 23(6), 833–838.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EP. (2011). How to avoid food wastage: strategies for a more efficient food chain in the EU. Brussels: European Parliament.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2017). Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Implementation of Circular Economy Action Plan, Brussel, 26.1.2017, Com (2017) 33 final.

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO. (2011). Global food losses and food waste—Extent, causes and prevention. Rome: FAO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M. P., & Hultink, E. J. (2017, February 1). The circular economy – A new sustainability paradigm? Journal of Cleaner Production, 143, 757–768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghisellini, P., Cialani, C., & Ulgiati, S. (2016). A review on circular economy: the expected transition to a balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 114, 11–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godfray, H. C. J., Beddington, J. R., Crute, I. R., Haddad, L., Lawrence, D., Muir, J. F., Pretty, J., Robinson, S., Thomas, S. M., & Toulmin, C. (2010). Food security: The challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science, 327(5967), 812–818.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Groh, T., & McFadden, S. (1998). Farms of tomorrow revisited. Great Barrington: SteinerBooks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunderson, L. H. (2001). Panarchy: Understanding transformations in human and natural systems. Washington: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halloran, A., Clement, J., Kornum, N., Bucatariu, C., & Magid, J. (2014). Addressing food waste reduction in Denmark. Food Policy, 49, 294–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinrichs, C. C. (2000). Embeddedness and local food systems: notes on two types of direct agricultural market. Journal of Rural Studies, 16(3), 295–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jurgilevich, A., Birge, T., Kentala-Lehtonen, J., Korhonen-Kurki, K., Pietikäinen, J., Saikku, L., & Schösler, H. (2016). Transition towards circular economy in the food systems. Sustainability, 8(1), 69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ledger, T. (2016). Power and Governance in Agri-Food Systems: Key Issues for Policymakers. Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies, 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacArthur, E. (2013). Towards the circular economy, economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition. Cowes: Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, S. W. (2010). Local food systems; concepts, impacts, and issues (No. 97). Diane Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metson, G. S., Bennett, E. M., & Elser, J. J. (2012). The role of diet in phosphorus demand. Environmental Research Letters, 7(4), 044043.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motavalli, J., 2008. The meat of the matter. E-NORWALK-, 19(4), p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordic Council of Ministers. (2011). Initiatives on prevention of food waste in the retail and wholesale trades. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papargyropoulou, E., Lozano, R., Steinberger, J. K., Wright, N., & bin Ujang, Z. (2014). The food waste hierarchy as a framework for the management of food surplus and food waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 76, 106–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parfitt, J., Barthel, M., & Macnaughton, S. (2010). Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 365(1554), 3065–3081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pavwelczyk, A. (2005). EU Policy and Legislation on recycling of organic wastes to agriculture. International Society for Animal Hygiene, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rezaei, J., Papakonstantinou, A., Tavasszy, L., Pesch, U., & Kana, A. (2019). Sustainable product-package design in a food supply chain: A multi-criteria life cycle approach. Packaging Technology and Science, 32(2), 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rood, T., & Hanemaaijer, A. (2017). Opportunities for a circular economy. The Hague: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schösler, H., de Boer, J., Boersema, J. J., & Aiking, H. (2015). Meat and masculinity among young Chinese, Turkish and Dutch adults in the Netherlands. Appetite, 89, 152–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shipman, D. (2009). Setting the stage: Local foods issues and policies, presentation at local food systems: Emerging research and policy issues conference at USDA. Washington, DC: Economic Research Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shove, E. (2014). Putting practice into policy: reconfiguring questions of consumption and climate change. Contemporary Social Science, 9(4), 415–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, J., Millstone, E., Scoones, I., Ely, A., Marshall, F., Shah, E., Stagl, S., & Wilkinson, J. (2007). Agri-food systems dynamics: Pathways to sustainability in an era of uncertainty.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toop, T. A., Ward, S., Oldfield, T., Hull, M., Kirby, M. E., & Theodorou, M. K. (2017). AgroCycle – Developing a circular economy in agriculture. Energy Procedia, 123, 76–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Zanten, H. H., Van Ittersum, M. K., & De Boer, I. J. (2019). The role of farm animals in a circular food systems. Global Food Security, 21, 18–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weber, L., Mayer, K. J., & Macher, J. T. (2011). An analysis of extendibility and early termination provisions: The importance of framing duration safeguards. Academy of Management Journal, 54(1), 182–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, R., & Stirling, A. (2013). Sustaining trajectories towards Sustainability: Dynamics and diversity in UK communal growing activities. Global Environmental Change, 23(5), 838–846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler, H. (2011). Closed-loop production systems—A sustainable supply chain approach. CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology, 4(3), 243–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business Management and Organization, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Negin Salimi

Authors
  1. Negin Salimi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Negin Salimi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Jafar Rezaei

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Salimi, N. (2021). Circular Economy in Agri-food Systems. In: Rezaei, J. (eds) Strategic Decision Making for Sustainable Management of Industrial Networks. Greening of Industry Networks Studies, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55385-2_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation