Abstract
Over the last decade, the circular economy (CE) has attracted attention due to the current unsustainable model of production and consumption, which involves an increased resource use and depletion. Agri-food is one of the key sectors where action must be taken to ensure the transition to a more sustainable development model in line with circular economy principles. This study aims to evaluate the potential of implementing the circular economy in the pitahaya agri-food chain in Ecuador. The research was conducted from 2019 to 2021, during which a checklist was applied that included 91 items grouped into nine dimensions: source or supply of materials, design, manufacturing, economic circle, distribution and sales, consumption/use, 4R, remanufacturing, and sustainability. The level of the circular economy evaluated in the study was low (2.14 points out of 5). Therefore, improvements are required in the agri-food management of fruit cultivation and processing. Critical points were identified and strategies were proposed to increase competitiveness, improve environmental performance, and promote the implementation of the circular economy in this production chain. A final recommendation is to explore research on the concept of CE in the sector, mainly focused on the valorization of biomass as a contribution to the bioeconomy in order to contribute to the country’s growth within the context of sustainability.
Highlights
This study aims to evaluate the potential of implementing the circular economy in the pitahaya agri-food chain in Ecuador, as well as to compare the results with other agri-food chains evaluated in developing countries
An additional goal was to propose improvement perspectives based on circular economy (CE) for the agri-food chain of the pitahaya sector in Ecuador, focused on reducing and valorizing food loss and waste
The scope of the research is to try to understand the contribution of CE to reduce the environmental impacts of current agri-food economic systems through a case study developed in the Ecuadorian Amazon region
Summary
The circular economy (CE) has received increasing consideration worldwide in terms of its potential to overcome the current production and consumption model, which is characterized by an increased resource use and depletion [1]. CE is defined as “a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, renting, reusing, repairing, renewing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible and minimizing waste” [2]. This offers a better alternative to the current model of economic development—the “take, make, and dispose of” model [3]. The objective of CE is economic, environmental, and social sustainability [4,5]
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