Agricultural waste: Review of the evolution, approaches and perspectives on alternative uses

Abstract

This research provides an analysis of existing scientific production on agricultural waste
\nfrom 1931 to 2018. The database was obtained from Scopus and includes a total of 3148
\narticles, which were analysed using the bibliometric method. This method focuses on the
\nidentification, evolution, approaches and trends referred to in the use and transformation
\nof agricultural waste. The results of the analysis of the most specific variables, some of
\nwhich are represented graphically through clusters in networking maps using VOSviewer
\nsoftware, establishes that agricultural waste has been studied worldwide for more than 60
\nyears and that research on this issue has become more relevant from 1998. However, it has
\nbeen in the last 13 years that more than 60% of the scientific production on this field of
\nstudy has been generated. The United States, India and China are the countries with the
\ngreatest number of studies, whose central axis has been the use and exploitation of
\nagricultural residues, derived from cereal crops, mainly wheat and corn, as they are the
\nmain producers of this type of crops. Many authors, mainly from government and academic institutions, have contributed considerably to this research topic. The evolution of
\ntheir studies evidences a change in the original approach, due to the influence of the new
\nglobal energy and environmental policies developed during the last decade. Undoubtedly,
\nthe international regulatory framework on sustainable development has been transforming the role of agriculture and especially the policies and strategies on the circular
\neconomy and bioeconomy. New and better techniques for the recovery of agricultural
\nwaste have been developed, based on industrial innovation and high technology, which
\nhas contributed to guaranteeing resource efficiency, sustainable production and consumption and the reduction of negative environmental impact.
\n© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC
\nBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Global Ecology and Conservation, 2020 · DOI ↗