Rainwater Harvesting for Agricultural Irrigation: An Analysis of Global Research

Within a context of scarce water resources for agriculture, rainwater harvesting constitutes a promising alternative that has been studied by different disciplines in recent years. This article analyses the dynamics of global research on rainwater harvesting for agricultural irrigation over the last two decades. To do this, qualitative systematic analysis and quantitative bibliometric analysis have been carried out. The results reveal that this line of research is becoming increasingly important within research on irrigation. Environmental sciences and agricultural and biological sciences are the most relevant subject areas. Agricultural Water Management, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, and Irrigation and Drainage are the journals that have published the most articles on the subject. India, China, the United States (USA), South Africa, and the Netherlands are the countries that lead this line of research. Although significant progress has been made in this subject area, it is necessary to increase the number of studies on the capacity of rainwater harvesting systems to cover irrigation needs in different farming contexts, the factors that determine their adoption by farmers, the economic and financial feasibility of their implementation, and their contribution to mitigating global climate change

Sustainable Business Model in the Product-Service System: Analysis of Global Research and Associated EU Legislation

The business fabric is trying to resolve the many transformations that have occurred in recent decades. Companies are obliged to offer new ways to meet the needs of the market. This situation has led to the creation of new business models that combine both competitiveness and sustainability. Among the most consistent strategies, the product-service system (PSS) stands out. A bibliometric analysis was carried out on 1088 documents during the period 2000–2020, to synthesize the knowledge base on PSS in a global context and analyse future trends. The results obtained have made it possible to identify the evolution of scientific production, the main drivers of this issue, the lines of research developed and their link with EU legislation and reveal some critical gaps in knowledge. The main lines of research describe different aspects of PSS: servitisation, product design, manufacturing, life cycle, circular economy, and sustainable development. This study has identified how its analysis has developed to date and what terms allow us to glimpse new approaches; hence, it is a useful tool for PSS researchers and sponsors who provide financial resources that allow new directions in this research

An Evolutionary Approach on the Framework of Circular Economy Applied to Agriculture

In this current and global context led by scarcity of resources, environmental degradation, global climate change, and a progressive demand for food, the circular economy (CE) represents a key economic model or framework for sustainable, restorative, and regenerative agriculture. Hence, CE applied to agriculture seeks to close the life cycle of products, services, waste, water, and energy to obtain a better use of resources and a reduction of the ecological impact. An initial review of the literature corroborates the hypothesis that the CE framework has not yet been comprehensively adapted to the field of agriculture. This research seeks to overcome this gap in relation to the performance of the circularity of agricultural production systems in support of decision-making processes. A bibliometric analysis of 1060 documents was carried to synthesize the knowledge base on this topic. The results show recent studies that identify weaknesses derived from food production, such as waste generation, biomass, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. It has been identified how their analysis has developed to date and what terms allow us to visualize new approaches; consequently, it is a useful tool for researchers and sponsors who provide financial resources for the development of new lines of research

Implications for Sustainability of the Joint Application of Bioeconomy and Circular Economy: A Worldwide Trend Study

The joint application of bioeconomy (BE) and circular economy (CE) promotes the sustainable use of natural resources, since by applying a systemic approach, it improves the efficiency of these resources and reduces the impact on the environment. Both strategies, which belong to the area of green economy, provide a global and integrated approach towards environmental sustainability, as regards the extraction of biological materials, the protection of biodiversity and even the primary function of food production in agriculture. The objective was to analyze the implications for sustainability of BE and CE joint application. A systematic and bibliometric review has been applied to a sample of 1961 articles, selected from the period 2004–May 2021. A quantitative and qualitative advance is observed in this field of study. The expansion of scientific production is due to its multidisciplinary nature, since it implies technical, environmental and economic knowledge. The main contribution of this study is to understand the state of research on the implications for sustainability that BE and CE have when combined, in relation to their evolution, the scientific collaboration between the main driving agents, and the identification of the main lines of research developed

Theoretical research on circular economy and sustainability trade-offs and synergies

Circular economy (CE) and sustainability are interrelated, without being exchangeable. While sustainability tries to reconcile the management of productive resources with their increasing consumption, CE aims to make the productive process more efficient, reducing, reusing and recycling the results of the productive process as much as possible. The aim of this paper is to ascertain the systemic structure of interactions between sustainability and CE through the analysis of the existing literature from 2004 to 2021. For this purpose, a computational literature review and a content analysis of the main contributions of CE and sustainability, within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were conducted. The results show that there is a positive impact of the synergy between CE strategies and certain SDGs. Specifically, the circular strategies that generate the greatest synergies have to do with preserving materials through recycling, downcycling, and the measurement of indicators or reference scenarios. This is what has led to the inclusion of these concepts in the formulation of policies and strategies, as their multidisciplinary nature allows them to have an impact on areas such as agriculture or innovation, which currently lack specific measures. Therefore, the knowledge derived from this study will contribute favorably to future decisions and actions to be considered, as there is still the potential to legislate in favor of an even more sustainable framework

Impact of environmental policies on the profitability of greenhouse agriculture in southeastern Spain

Sustainable development has become an essential criterion for structural policies ofthe European Union, and these policies have extended its environmental dimensions.The EU has decided that circular economy will be framed within the principles of sus-tainable development. Thus, the changes brought forth will affect activities like agri-culture, where environmental policy can undermine the stability of agriculturalsystems by reducing their profitability. The objective of this study was to evaluatehow the implementation of these techniques impacted the southeastern peninsula ofSpain, a farming region that supports the sovereignty and food security of theEuropean Union in terms of fruit and vegetable products. The production techniquesevaluated can increase production costs by up to 5.5%, although there are no signifi-cant differences in crop profitability. It is necessary to guarantee that all producerscan access the incentive system to reduce their economic pressure, due in manycases to financial losses. In this regard, it is necessary to establish a specific greenarchitecture for this subsector that factors in the effects of inflation to balance thetriple aspect of sustainabilit

Life cycle cost assessment and economic analysis of a decentralized wastewater treatment to achieve water sustainability within the framework of circular economy

Research background: The increasing water demand together with an unceasing production of wastewater worldwide has resulted in a situation where the scarcity and pollution of water resources are jeopardizing and depleting such a vital asset. Purpose of the article: In this context, Nature Based Solutions (NBS) such as Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands (VFCWs) are key because of their capacity of channelling a waste into a resource. However, and notwithstanding their essential role, their financial benefits too often go unnoticed because of missing research that study them from an economic perspective and this article has covered this existing gap. The objective of this research is to analyse the economic consequences of using VFCW against its traditional alternative through a comprehensive economic assessment. Methods: After doing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a combination of two approaches has been carried out. This research has developed a holistic approach where a Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) based on a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) along with an economic evaluation of cleaning environmental costs have been calculated for two different scenarios. For this monetary analysis, the environmental externalities derived from the use of cleaning the pollution caused by a public water supply and sewerage system and the VFCW have been quantified. Findings & value added: Results conclude that VFCW apart of being a cost-effective and profitable alternative for an investor, it has also valuable benefits for the society in general because of its meaningful and positive externalities and the high removal cost of the environmental pollutants of the traditional water supply and sewage system both contributing directly to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, 4/5 environmental impacts derived from the use of traditional alternative pollute more than twice as much as the VFCW does. Lastly, the cleaning costs difference between both alternatives is 1,984,335€

Sustainable Irrigation in Agriculture: An Analysis of Global Research

Irrigated agriculture plays a fundamental role as a supplier of food and raw materials. However, it is also the world’s largest water user. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of studies analyzing agricultural irrigation from the perspective of sustainability with a focus on its environmental, economic, and social impacts. This study seeks to analyze the dynamics of global research in sustainable irrigation in agriculture between 1999 and 2018, including the main agents promoting it and the topics that have received the most attention. To do this, a review and a bibliometric analysis were carried out on a sample of 713 articles. The results show that sustainability is a line of study that is becoming increasingly more prominent within research in irrigation. The study also reveals the existence of substantial differences and preferred topics in the research undertaken by different countries. The priority issues addressed in the research were climatic change, environmental impact, and natural resources conservation; unconventional water resources; irrigation technology and innovation; and water use efficiency. Finally, the findings indicate a series of areas related to sustainable irrigation in agriculture in which research should be promoted

Impact of Soil Biodisinfection Techniques in Horticultural Crops on Profitability within the Framework of the Circular Economy

Agricultural systems must identify fertilization strategies in line with the principles of sustainable development and the circular economy to achieve environmentally friendly food production and to meet the fertilizer-reduction targets set by some territories, such as the European Union (EU). The objective of this work was to identify the multifunctionality and cost-effectiveness in the use of the biodisinfection technique in greenhouse horticultural crops. For this purpose, a cost comparison of the different cultivation strategies was conducted, based on a systematic review of the existing literature. The results of this work suggest that the biodisinfection of soil containing agricultural biomass serves as a fertilization strategy that allows a reduction in a large part of inorganic fertilizers in protected horticultural crops of intensive nature, in addition to mitigating the expression of soil pathogens. Reducing the use of fertilizers and phytosanitary products, management fees, and important means of production, such as water, allows a reduction of up 6.1% in production costs. The biodisinfection technique is a methodology that can promote circularity in farms while favoring the use of waste, such as agricultural biomass, which can damage the environment when not properly treated

Rainwater Harvesting for Agricultural Irrigation: An Analysis of Global Research

Within a context of scarce water resources for agriculture, rainwater harvesting constitutes a promising alternative that has been studied by different disciplines in recent years. This article analyses the dynamics of global research on rainwater harvesting for agricultural irrigation over the last two decades. To do this, qualitative systematic analysis and quantitative bibliometric analysis have been carried out. The results reveal that this line of research is becoming increasingly important within research on irrigation. Environmental sciences and agricultural and biological sciences are the most relevant subject areas. Agricultural Water Management, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, and Irrigation and Drainage are the journals that have published the most articles on the subject. India, China, the United States (USA), South Africa, and the Netherlands are the countries that lead this line of research. Although significant progress has been made in this subject area, it is necessary to increase the number of studies on the capacity of rainwater harvesting systems to cover irrigation needs in different farming contexts, the factors that determine their adoption by farmers, the economic and financial feasibility of their implementation, and their contribution to mitigating global climate change