Circular Economy and Bio-Economy in the Agriculture: Advances in Public Policies and New Corporate Strategies on Sustainable Development

Dear Colleagues,

Traditionally, agriculture has been the primary source of resources for ensuring the health and nutrition of the world's population. Nowadays, agricultural production has a bigger potential contribution, even more if we consider problems such as food scarcity or unequality in several countries. Agricultural production has more than trippled over the last 50 years. Several reasons can explain this situation, such as the expansion of soils for agricultural use, the technological contribution of the green revolution and its implications on productivity or the accelerated growth of the population. However, climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) make the circular economy a necessary alternative to align the traditional processes with the sustainability challenges.

The aim of this Special Issue is to review strategies from both governments and firms, related with the circular Economy Framework as well as bio-economy in the agricultural sector (in line with the SDGs). This Special Issue invites the submission of papers focused on the evolution of public policies that affect sustainability and bio-economy. Moreover, papers that deepen on the evolution of companies’ and farmers’ strategies that operate in the agricultural sector in order to achieve more sustainable processes are welcome.

Finally, this Special Issue may contain papers that reflect the negative externalities produced by the linear production process as well as the particular strategies developed by farmers and companies which tend to adapt their process to the circular economy. It also will include papers related to new technologies applied, e.g. to obtain new nutrients from compost or reused water, the transition towards the use of renewable energy sources in agriculture, new technologies and sustainable materials: plastics, irrigation systems, new production structures, new technologies and sustainable materials applied to agriculture, such as plastics, new irrigation systems, and new production structures.

Prof. Dr. Luis J. Belmonte Ureña

Guest Editor

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Prof. Luis Jesús Belmonte-Ureña
Guest Editor

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• circular economy
• bioeconomy
• agriculture
• waste management
• sustainable development
• water management
• social economy
• new technologies
• sustainable materials
• conversion to circular agriculture