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

References (co-author in the following publications)

- (2020). Analysis of World Research on Grafting in Horticultural Plants. HortScience, publish ahead of issue, 1-9. doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14533-19

- (2019). The sustainable approach to corporate social responsibility: A global analysis and future trends. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(19), 5382. doi.org/10.3390/su11195382.

- (2019). The worldwide research trends on water ecosystem services. Ecological Indicators, 99, 310- 323. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.12.045.

- (2019). Profit analysis of papaya crops under greenhouses as an alternative to traditional intensive horticulture in Southeast Spain. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2908. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16162908.

- (2019). The production and quality of different varieties of papaya grown under greenhouse in short cycle in continental Europe. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (10), 1789. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16101789.

- (2019). Innovation and technology for sustainable mining activity: A worldwide research assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 221, 38-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.243.

- (2019). Aquifer sustainability and the use of desalinated seawater for greenhouse irrigation in the campo de níjar, southeast spain. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(5) doi:10.3390/ijerph16050898

- (2018). Economic analysis of sustainable water use: A review of worldwide research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 198, 1120-1132. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.066

- (2017). Perceptions and acceptance of desalinated seawater for irrigation: A case study in the níjar district (southeast spain). Water (Switzerland), 9(6) doi:10.3390/w9060408

- (2016). Economic and social sustainability through organic agriculture: Study of the restructuring of the citrus sector in the "bajo andarax" district (spain). Sustainability (Switzerland), 8(9) doi:10.3390/su8090918

- (2016). Characterization of the unirrigated almond farms in andalusia and strategies for reconversion. [Caracterización del cultivo del almendro en secano en Andalucía y propuestas de reconversión] ITEA Informacion Tecnica Economica Agraria, 112(3), 317-335. doi:10.12706/itea.2016.020

- (2016). Greenhouse agriculture in Almería. A comprehensive techno-economic analysis. Cajamar Caja Rural. Almería, Spain.

- (2015). Heterogeneity of the environmental regulation of industrial wastewater: European wineries. Water Science and Technology, 72(9), 1667-1673. doi:10.2166/wst.2015.387

- (2014). The industrial agriculture: A ‘model for modernization’ from almería? Seasonal workers in mediterranean agriculture: The social costs of eating fresh (pp. 112-120) doi:10.4324/9781315884431

- (2013). Appraisal of environmental regulations on sustainable consumption of water in the wine-producing spanish industry. Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, 12(10), 1979-1987.

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