Evaluating the transition to the circular economy in the agri-food sector: Selection of indicators

Abstract

The agri-food sector is one of the key sectors where the action is needed to ensure the transition to a more sustainable development model in line with the principles of the circular economy (CE). The use of indicators to monitor progress and areas for action is a key element in the shift of companies, regions, and countries toward a circular model.

This study aims to create a dashboard that can be used at various spatial levels to guide the agri-food sector toward a CE and sustainable development. Starting with the relevant literature, we identified 102 indicators classified according to three areas of sustainability (environmental, economic and social) and spatial dimensions (macro‑meso-micro) within 8 scopes.

The dashboard provides a toolbox for directing decision-making processes and strategies through the targeted use of indicators with respect to the context in which the CE is applied.

In addition, the dashboard allows us to highlight missing aspects related to (1) new indicators not covered by the tool; (2) new scopes not yet explored in the literature; and (3) the need to adopt cross-sectional indicators. For this last aspect, the analysis revealed only 17 such indicators.

A future step is to define the most suitable configurations among the indicators in which CE is generated, starting from the test of the indicators at the micro level to validate their applicability and consider the impacts they may have at the macro or meso levels.