The circular economy model in the agri-food sector: A new strategy for the regional development

It is undeniable that the agri-food system is one of the greatest waste-producing sectors, with the inevitable generation of a certain quantity of scraps due to processing at an industrial level. Circular economy may offer a valid solution to overcome this problem, but the application of the model requires the availability of reliable data about quality and quantity of waste, which are currently missing. For this purpose, the objective of this paper is to address the issue of waste generation in the agri-food industry using a survey questionnaire. In-depth interviews were conducted with the owners or the technicians of selected case studies from the Marche region agri-food sector. Then, mass balance was applied based on primary data collected during the interviews. Moreover, to explore the potentiality of the circular model for the development of a regional agri-food sector, barriers, opportunities and services were also investigated. Results identified the vegetable and olive oil transformation as the most impacting in terms of quantities of waste produced. Food business operators currently find it difficult to give a proper definition of circular economy and envision the implementation of the model soon. However, they are also very enthusiastic and positive in finding alternative solutions to recover the waste. A great support could be provided by establishing a regional database for waste qualification and quantification. This work could be useful for policy makers, helping to understand the hurdles that agribusiness entrepreneurs shall face in this economic transition.