Barriers to Minimisation of agri-products wastage through Optimizing logistics in India: An ISM modelling approach

Abstract

The research work identifies and priorities the factors affecting agri-logistics causing wastage of the agricultural products during its transit from farm to the point of consumption so that logistics mechanism for agriculture sector in India can be optimised by removing the barriers leading to hindrances in safe, timely, economical and good condition delivery of the agri consignment. The field of agri-logistics remains at the crucial nexus of the agricultural and logistics industries and has the potential to improve the nation's system for distributing food. The post-harvest wastage in India has been massive due to inefficiencies agri-logistics management and faulty food distribution mechanism. It is an exploratory study that along the factors (barriers) identified and synthesised from literature review of the concerned area. The identified barriers were reduced and finalised in consultation with the experts using Delphi technique. With the help of ISM questionnaire, a model has been developed reflecting the drivers and dependents out of the barriers considered for the study. The result is further validated through MICMAC analysis. The result of the study has come up with the interpretive structure model depicting hierarchy of the barriers pushing from down to top causing agriculture wastage. The paper holds originality in the sense that it comes up with fresh perspectives on the factors causing hindrances in the efficient logistics operation that certainly helps to minimise wastage of the agri-products in the post-harvest stages. The identification of the barriers and their detriments to the other factors will help to take essential steps on how to overcome the issues and optimize the agri-logistics that would minimise the agri-wastage in India and prove to be a game changer to the agri-trade sector.