Building sustainable circular agriculture in China: economic viability and entrepreneurship

Purpose In the context of China, the purpose of this paper is to empirically answer three related questions: Could circular agriculture (CA) attain economic, ecological and social benefits simultaneously? What is key to a successful CA business in emerging economies? And who plays the vital role in building and sustaining a circular business? Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a field study and looks at a farm in China. It uses a triangulation methodology to collect information. Besides longitudinal filed work at the farm, the researchers have also interviewed multiple stakeholders and conducted field research at the local markets. Findings With concrete performance data, the study proves that a circular approach can help achieve ecological, economic and social goals together. It shows that economic viability is essential to succeeding in circular operation, sufficient production pathways are required to make such operation sustainable, and entrepreneurship is key to build and grow a circular business. Research limitations/implications - The findings point to the crucial role of entrepreneurship in promoting the circular model in emerging economies. These findings, however, may not be readily generalizable, given the limitations of the case study approach. Practical implications - The study highlights a few areas in which government assistance can make a difference, including financial incentives, information provision, technical support and most importantly the creation of a positive environment for entrepreneurial development. Originality/value While prior research emphasizes the role of government in promoting circular economy in developing and emerging markets, the study proves that entrepreneurship is key to turning government initiatives into economically viable and sustainable circular operation.