Issues and Challenges in Short Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review

Improving the eco-efficiency of food systems is one of the major global challenges faced by the modern world. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are commonly regarded to be less harmful to the environment, among various reasons, due to their organizational distribution and thus the shortened physical distance between primary producers and final consumers. In this paper, we empirically test this hypothesis, by assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of short and long food supply chains. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, we calculate eco-efficiency indicators for nine types of food distribution chains. The analysis is performed on a sample of 428 short and long food supply chains from six European countries. Our results indicate that, on average, long food supply chains may generate less negative environmental impacts than short chains (in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption, pollution, and GHG emissions) per kg of a given product. The values of eco-efficiency indicators display a large variability across analyzed chains, and especially across different types of SFSCs. The analysis shows that the environmental impacts of the food distribution process are not only determined by the geographical distance between producer and consumer, but depend on numerous factors, including the supply chain infrastructure.

Why buying directly from producers is a valuable choice? Expanding the scope of short food supply chains in Spain

Increasing the competitiveness of primary producers and supporting the local development in rural areas were one of the main objectives of the Slovak government within the 2014-2020 program period. Supporting local producers and applying short food supply chains were the main tools for fulfilling these objectives. Short food supply chains are a relatively new concept in Slovakia, associated primarily with the sale of the quality agricultural products directly from the farm. The paper focuses on the evaluation of the performance of agricultural enterprises in Slovakia in the short food supply chains by comparing the economic indicators of enterprises in and outside the short food supply chains over a period of 10 years. This time period captures a relatively stable development of the economic results of enterprises, with a slight increase in 2017, when the enterprises concluded contracts with the Agricultural Paying Agency. This year is considered to be the start of the enterprises in the short food supply chains, providing the results in terms of the observed economic indicators significantly different from the enterprises outside the short food supply chains due to their size and economic power. In connection with the above facts, we have identified the following research questions: 1) Is the size of the agricultural enterprise a factor that influences the success of companies in short food supply chains? 2) Are micro and small agricultural enterprises operating in short food supply chains able to improve their economic results despite their disadvantages compared to large enterprises?

Blockchain Enabled Quality Management in Short Food Supply Chains

Food Supply Chains and Short Food Supply Chains: Coexistence conceptual framework

The production and distribution of food are among the hot topics debated in the context of sustainable development. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are now widely believed to be more sustainable in comparison to mass food delivery systems. To date, very little quantitative evidence exists on the impacts of various types of food supply chains. Using a cross-sectional quantitative approach, this study assesses the sustainability of distribution channels in short and long food supply chains based on 208 food producers across seven countries: France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. Ten distribution channel types are used in this study. To provide a comprehensive sustainability assessment, a set of economic, social, and environmental indicators are applied. Indicators commonly used in the literature are used, supported by original indicators constructed specifically for the present study. In total, 486 chains are examined and the study confirms that individual producers participate simultaneously in several, short and long chains. Participation in SFSCs is beneficial for producers from an economic perspective. SFSCs allow producers to capture a large proportion of margin otherwise absorbed by different intermediaries. It appears, however, that ’longer’ supply channels generate lower environmental impacts per unit of production when measured in terms of food miles and carbon footprint. Finally, ambiguous results are found regarding social dimension, with significant differences across types of chains.

Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) are central to the alternative food movement discourse. SFSCs are based upon the interrelations among actors who are directly involved in the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food products. They depend upon actors mobilising resources of various kinds: skills; knowledge; labour; capital; buildings etc. External factors such as policies and regulations can also encourage the creation of these shorter chains. The development of SFSCs can still be hindered by a range of other factors. Nevertheless, bottlenecks can be overcome via the sharing of information on successful SFSCs through the dissemination of Good Practices between various actors and territories. The Short Supply Chain Knowledge and Innovation (SKIN) project uses the term ‘good’ rather than ‘best’ practice to draw attention to the subjective lens through which a practice is ultimately evaluated by an end-user. This paper first outlines the many issues that confront SFSC actors which represent bottlenecks to the adoption of ‘Good Practices’. It then documents the Good Practices collected as part of the SKIN project as tangible examples of how SFSCs overcome such challenges. Lessons learnt from project highlights are subsequently assessed in an effort to mitigate and offer solutions to the challenges associated with SFSCs. The paper demonstrates the considerable latent potential inherent to SFSCs. However, in order for the agricultural sector to realise the full promise of short supply chains it must first be conscious of the issues pertinent to their prosperity.

Globally, food systems are the most significant cause of environmental change; therefore, efforts to create more environmentally sustainable food systems are presented. One of the directions is strengthening the local actors and short food supply chains. Simultaneously, changes in farming systems are needed, and organic agriculture is one of the ways to make food systems more environmentally sustainable. Despite the abundance of research on the environmental consciousness of consumers in short food supply chains, the question is raised whether local food chain farmers are also committed to environmental sustainability. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the importance of environmental sustainability to organic short food supply chain actors. More specifically, the research depicts the views of organic farmers and consumers and their relation to the actual environmental sustainability of short food supply chains. During the research, a specific short food supply chain – a direct purchasing network – was explored. A qualitative approach was applied to reach the aim. Thus, in-depth interviews and observations were used as a research method. The research results demonstrated the views of farmers and consumers of the specific network regarding environmental sustainability aspects in the network. In the research, such environmental aspects as the circularity of resources, biodiversity, chemicals in the environment, seasonality and locality of diets, and the distance (food miles) were admitted as crucial ones by the specific short food supply chain actors. The differences in opinions of consumers and farmers emerged when thinking about the scale of their views.

- Experiences of short food supply chain: an explorative research in the province of Trento In the recent years there has been an increasing interest in the scientific literature for the so-called "Alternative Food Networks" which try to redefine the relationship between producers and consumers. Particularly interesting is the short food supply chain which allows both producers to get back some added value and consumers to have better food "with the farmers' face on it". Moreover, some part of the literature stressed that a shorter food supply chain promotes the rise of a new and more territorially based rural development. The investigation approach has been mainly sociological or geographical and mostly based on case studies. Little attention has been devoted to quantify the involved farmers' population. Since shorter food supply chains are becoming increasingly present in the Italian market, the aim of the paper is to contribute to deepen the knowledge about these experiences, starting from the specific context of the Autonomous Province of Trento. First of all, a census of the empirical variety of short food supply chains has been made. In addition to three farmer's markets, one box scheme (Biocesta) and other similar initiatives, farmers open their farms to consumers and visitors. The integration of three different databases allowed us to estimate the number of farms involved in the short supply chain. It represents the 12,8% of the full time farms. In order to shed light on structural conditions, economic performance and farmers' perceptions, we surveyed a convenience sample of 36 farms involved in the most innovative forms of short food supply chain. The surveyed farms are of small dimensions; the farmers are well educated and they are fully involved in the short food supply chain. Most part of the farms is highly diversified: the average number of products is 4.4 and the diversification is strengthened trough some processing. Only 28% of the sample sells the whole production through the short supply chain: this confirms that the major part of farms does not abandon the conventional system when opting for a shorter supply chain. Investigating the motivations that draw farmers to move towards a shorter supply chain shows that a better valorisation of their products represents the most important one. Nevertheless, other non-monetary reasons enter into the decision and gain top ranking positions such the direct contact with consumers and the enhancement of professional competences. The option for a shorter supply chain seems to have very interesting consequences. Actually, it pushed the 72% of farms to increase product diversification; it induced some farms to switch to organic production, to recover unusual vegetables and antique fruit cultivars, to pay greater attention to the landscape, to offer new services inside the farm and to strength the relations with other farms and the territory. These results support the idea that the short food supply chain enhances the multifunctional role of farms.JEL Codes: Q12, Q13Key words: short food supply chain, farmers' survey, structural and economic characteristics, Trentino

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) have been presented as a sustainable alternative to unsustainable conventional food supply chains (CFSCs). Here, intermediate SFSCs are most capable of expanding their scale and success. However, it remains unclear which intermediaries can do so sustainably, while upholding SFSCs values. Understanding the types of intermediaries and their capabilities is key to ensuring long-term success in the market. Through a systematic literature review, this paper investigates the type of intermediaries operating in SFSCs and their capabilities. Appropriate exclusion criteria eliminated articles that focused on shortening CFSCs without specifically mentioning SFSCs, as well as articles focusing on direct-to-consumer SFSCs, which did not mention intermediaries. A wide range of synonyms for intermediaries and capabilities was included to ensure a thorough search string. Based on these selection criteria, 65 articles have been selected and analyzed. The capabilities of seven different intermediaries are presented in context of the resource-based view. The capabilities are categorized in operational capabilities and relational capabilities. The outcome allows for the assessment of internal resources and external relationships that could strengthen the intermediaries’ operations, ultimately leading to sustainable competitive advantage. The practical implications of this research indicate that certain intermediaries are more suitable than others in obtaining competitive advantage toward CFSC and increasing the volumes moved through SFSCs and allowing for sustainable food supply chains. This is the first review to provide an overview of the most discussed intermediaries in SFSCs and their capabilities creating competitive advantage, allowing for future discussions around sustainable SFSCs.

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to global food supply chains. Since the beginning of the pandemic researchers have studied various food supply chain issues influenced by the COVID-19 crisis, including impacts on consumer behavior, and logistical and organizational changes to food supply chains. Despite the proliferation of studies on food supply chains during the pandemic, only a few researchers have focused on short food supply chains and their resilience. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the resilience of short food supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic using a direct purchasing (DP) network as a case study. The study considered three research questions. (1) How has the functioning of the DP network changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) What role do resilience elements (i.e., readiness to shocks, responsiveness to disruption, and recovery from the crisis) play in the short food supply chain response to the COVID-19 crisis? (3) Which innovations in the short food supply chain would further the recovery process, and thus resilience, after the crisis?MethodsThis article presents a case study of a direct organic food purchasing network in Latvia. The analysis of economic data regarding the dynamics of organic product demand and supply in the DP network was supplemented with an analysis of qualitative data gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews with representatives of three groups of DP network participants: consumers, producers, and DP network organizers.Results and discussionFrom the consumer and producer experiences, the DP network was a flexible short food chain that could adapt quickly in a crisis. While the number of DP distribution points and total number of purchases decreased during the pandemic, a statistically significant increase in the number of product units sold compared to the pre-COVID-19 period was observed. From the perspective of food chain resilience elements, the reactive strategies of the DP network as a short food supply chain were highlighted. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizational and product innovations introduced in the DP network played a key role in enhancing the resilience of the short supply chain in the context of the wider food system.

Short food supply chains are a typical solution for traditional food distribution systems. Geographic proximity is a key determinant of both short supply chains and regional products. Regional foods are linked to a place, both through the origin of raw materials and through their ties to traditions. The aim of the study is to identify the key features of farmers–regional food producers building short food supply chains. The research material comes from surveys conducted in July 2024. The research covered farmers–small producers of regional food in Poland. 252 questionnaires were selected for the presented research. The respondents were divided into two groups: farmers who sold only directly and farmers who used sales intermediaries. Research shows that direct sales dominate among farmers and producers of regional food in Poland. Factors of particular importance in building short regional food supply chains include connections to recipes and family traditions, in terms of knowledge and practical skills. Given the numerous advantages of short regional food supply chains, this activity is worth supporting. Institutional support should encompass not only financial assistance but also organizational support to help connect producers with consumers. Promotional activities highlighting regional food and its producers could be another pillar of support.

Over the last 20 years or so, farmers the world over have been expressing renewed interest in Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs). Since these marketing channels bring consumers and producers closer together, they are being promoted as a means for producers to recover more of the added value. They are also seen as a part of the solution to the problems associated with long supply chains. However, marketing via SFSCs means that farmers have to take on new tasks, which are likely to disrupt their existing work routines. We propose here to review the scientific knowledge available on the work of farmers in SFSCs. We carry out a systematic analysis of the English-language literature using a multidisciplinary analytical framework of work. We consider five dimensions of work: 1) structural elements of work; 2) economic performance of work; 3) organization of work; 4) working conditions; and 5) occupation. The theme of work is not prominent in the existing literature on SFSCs. While there is ongoing debate whether a switch to SFSCs results in increased farm incomes, it is clear that marketing through SFSCs relies on a large amount of poorly remunerated work. New tasks have to be added to work schedules, and new skills are required, making the organization of both productive and marketing work more complex. Various categories of workers are involved in undertaking these tasks, having to bear a heavy workload that is a source of stress and fatigue. However, the economic aspect aside, SFSCs appear to be conducive to farmers' self-fulfillment at work. Farmers derive particular satisfaction from their involvement in SFSCs since they are more in touch with consumers and because they are participating in the transition of food systems, despite the intellectually and physically demanding work they have to do. We call for the study of farmers' work in SFSCs to be strengthened, by diversifying both the methodologies adopted and the case studies. Such knowledge should enable us to better integrate work-related issues into future public policies to support SFSCs.

Research on short food supply chains (SFSCs) has experienced a remarkable growth during recent years, offering ample evidence that the creation of such alternative food distribution networks can bring multiple benefits to both farmers and consumers. Nevertheless, farmers' engagement in SFSCs is still limited in many countries. Two studies designed to illustrate the role of competencies in the development of SFSCs are reported in this paper. The first one assessed the influence of farmers' self-perceived competencies on their willingness to participate in SFSCs. The second examined whether the engagement in SFSCs affects the levels of participants' competency needs. Study 1 revealed that willingness to participate in SFSCs is affected by the levels of farmers' competencies on issues pertaining to management, entrepreneurship, marketing, networking and cooperation. Although other factors such as farmers' citizenship behavior, their environmental concern and the perception that engagement in SFSCs can increase farm income are also associated with this willingness, self-perceived competencies represent the most important set of predictors. Study 2 uncovered that participation in SFSCs increases farmers' needs in all the above-mentioned categories of competencies. Taken together, these results indicate that farmers' competencies significantly affect their involvement in SFSCs, and that engagement in SFSCs augments competency needs, thus highlighting the importance of creating spaces that help farmers develop and exploit new capabilities.

Smart farming and short food supply chains: Are they compatible?