Socioeconomic and technical factors in European agricultural sustainable waste management: The case of Spain

Research background: Inadequate management of agricultural waste is a growing challenge that poses significant risks to the environmental sustainability of ecosystems due to the lack of detailed information on how socioeconomic factors influence the management of such waste. The importance of addressing this issue is reflected in various European policies, such as Directives 2018/851 and 2018/852. However, current initiatives do not sufficiently consider the factors that affect producers' behavior in terms of waste management, limiting the effectiveness of these policies in improving the sustainability of the sector. Purpose of the article: This study seeks to identify and analyze the technical, economic, and social factors shaping agricultural waste management practices among farmers and livestock producers. It also proposes policy and organizational recommendations that could serve as benchmarks. Spain, a key player in the European agri-food sector, serves as a case study. Methods: Data were collected through a structured survey targeting Spanish agricultural and livestock producers, focusing on socioeconomic, technical, and waste management practices. Spain’s primary production system was selected as a representative European case due to its pivotal role in agricultural and livestock output. The survey, distributed via agri-food cooperatives and digital knowledge-sharing platforms, garnered 396 valid responses, achieving a 95% confidence level and a maximum margin of error of 2.2%. The dataset was analyzed using binary logistic regression to estimate the likelihood of effective waste management based on selected explanatory variables. Findings & value added: The findings highlight that economic factors such as the volume of farm income directly and significantly influence waste management, indicating that higher income favors better management. Other influential factors are of a social nature: level of education, gender and age of producers. This research underscores the urgent need for tailored policy interventions to address these factors, advocating for enhanced waste management initiatives, specialized training programs, and collaborative advisory services in partnership with cooperatives and industry stakeholders.