Greening the plate: Exploring the role of circular farming practices in shaping sustainable food systems and diets in rural China

Sustainable food systems are essential for addressing global challenges such as natural resource depletion, food waste, and ecosystem degradation arising from unsustainable farming practices. In this context, circular farming offers a viable pathway toward more efficient and sustainable agriculture by optimizing resource use, minimizing waste, and promoting closed-loop production systems. Building on this perspective, the present study examines the determinants of circular farming practices and their association with the diet quality of farm households. For this purpose, primary data were collected from 384 farmers in rural areas of Shandong Province, China, through a face-to-face survey using a multistage sampling method. The data were analyzed using an ordered probit model and propensity score matching to estimate adoption determinants and outcome effects. The results indicate that entrepreneurial abilities, particularly innovativeness (β = 0.136) and risk-taking (β = 0.113), significantly increase the likelihood of adopting circular farm practices. Similarly, age (β = −0.02), education (β = 0.032), farm size (β = 0.159), agricultural training (β = 0.318), extension services (β = 0.707), government policies (β = 0.245), and awareness (β = 0.299) also significantly affect the adoption at farm level. Further, farmers with higher adoption levels consume more diversified diets and higher per capita calories compared to those with lower adoption. Overall, the findings suggest that promoting circular farming can simultaneously enhance environmental sustainability and nutritional outcomes.