The treatment of agricultural waste plays an important role in the sustainability of agricultural production and the well-being of rural communities. The present study analyzes the existing sources of agricultural waste in rural communities, their current disposal, and the farmers' attitudes towards waste management. The data is based on a survey in 21 communities in agricultural areas in Shaanxi (N = 359 farmers interviewed). The results provide a description of the main agricultural waste in the region based on empirical data. The responses highlight the farmers' experience, reputation, and engagement at recycling domestic waste as the main variables shaping their attitudes towards agricultural waste disposal. Farmers prefer treating primarily biowaste, mostly used for biogas generation or crop fertilizer at the farms. Improving waste management facilities, accessibility and economic incentives are identified as the main factors that could increase recycling rates, as well as the importance of training campaigns and instructions related to waste handling and recycling. The analysis captured the general trends in agricultural waste treatment and future directions and provides a basis for better designing waste and management alternatives.
Keywords: Agricultural production; Agricultural waste; Biogas; Municipal waste; Organic waste to energy; Rural communities.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.