Agri-food Supply Chain Management Research Articles

Critical factors to adopt sustainable agrifood supply chain management in developing countries: The case of Ethiopian coffee industry

AbstractGlobal agrifood supply chains are under increasing pressure to address sustainability issues due to growing concerns. However, numerous organizations within the agrifood industry are struggling to incorporate sustainable supply chain management practices and address the concerns. Therefore, this research is designed to identify the key critical factors, such as drivers, enablers, and barriers to adopting sustainable practices. This study considers the Ethiopian coffee industry, which is an important sector not only for the Ethiopian economy but also for the global agrifood supply chain. To accomplish the objectives of this study, we applied a systematic literature review and empirical survey. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify critical factors for adopting sustainability in agrifood supply chains. An empirical survey was then undertaken in the Ethiopian coffee industry to rank the key critical factors. Hence, the study has revealed that economic and productivity improvement, cost effectiveness and improvement in the overall performance, and difficulty in mindset and cultural changes as the key critical factors that determine the adoption of sustainability initiatives from the perspectives of the Ethiopian coffee supply chain. The findings can be used as input by government regulatory bodies and policymakers to craft strategies and policies to adopt sustainability initiatives and ensure sustainable development. Furthermore, the research is expected to contribute to the existing literature by bringing in the perspective of suppliers in developing countries.

Integrating Circular Economy Principles into Agri-Food Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review (SLR) examines the integration of circular economy (CE) principles into the agri-food supply chain over the past 20 years. The review aims to consolidate existing knowledge, identify research gaps, and provide actionable insights for future research. A comprehensive search across major databases yielded 1200 articles, which were screened, filtered, and assessed, resulting in a final selection of 100 high-quality studies. This review highlights the significant potential of the CE to enhance sustainability, reduce waste, and improve resource efficiency in the agri-food sector. These studies were categorized based on thematic issues, geographical regions, and supply chain stages. The findings highlight the predominant focus on waste management, resource efficiency, sustainable practices, and economic impacts, reflecting regional priorities and regulatory frameworks. The review also underscores the multiplier effect of CE implementation, which enhances sustainability and efficiency within the agri-food sector and generates significant economic and environmental benefits on a regional and global scale. Key challenges and areas for further research are identified, providing a comprehensive foundation for advancing CE practices in the agri-food supply chain.

Resilience in agri-food supply chains: a framework for risk assessment and strategy development

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of resilience in the agri-food supply chain (AFSC) to ensure a reliable, uninterrupted, and disruption-free food supply for the ever-increasing global population. This study aims to comprehensively rank the multitude of risks faced by the AFSC, which have predominantly been examined in isolation. It develops a strategic framework for mitigating these risks by implementing appropriate resilient strategies. The study employs novel hybrid multi-criteria decision-making techniques, including the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (F-AHP), fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (F-TOPSIS), and fuzzy quality function deployment (F-QFD), to prioritise risks, assign weights, and rank various resilient strategies. The study contributes to the existing literature by proposing a systematic and robust strategic framework to facilitate decision-making processes in AFSC resilience management. It advances theoretical understanding and provides practical insights and recommendations for enhancing resilience in AFSC management.

Analysis of barriers for adopting blockchain in agri-food supply chain management: a decision support framework

PurposeIntegrating digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain make the agri-food supply chain (ASCM) transparent, resilient and flexible. However, its adoption is quite complex due to various anticipated barriers. So, the presented research purposes to explore and investigate the barriers.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs hybrid approach including Best-Worst Method (BWM) and Graph Theoretic Approach (GTA). Data were collected from industry experts employed in the agri-food sector and analyzed by means of standard operating procedures.FindingsGTA results show that Technological barriers have the highest barrier intensity. Moreover, BWM results show that “Increased operational complexity” is the topmost barrier to adopting blockchain in ASCM. “Lack of interoperability” ranks second among the identified barriers.Research limitations/implicationsThe results benefit the managers, practitioners and researchers to understand the anticipated barriers so that necessary strategies can be developed, and organizations can become more resilient, agile, transparent and traceable.Originality/valueThe presented work is the first to develop a mathematical model and assess the industry’s eagerness to adopt blockchain in ASCM. The proposed framework will greatly benefit the stakeholders working in agri-food sector.

Revolutionizing agri-food supply chain management with blockchain-based traceability and navigation integration

Revolutionizing agri-food supply chain management with blockchain-based traceability and navigation integration

Reconfiguration of Agrifood Supply Chain Management in Latin America during COVID-19: A Brief Literature Review

This study aims to analyze the changes in the agrifood supply chain (AFSC) configurations in Latin America (LATAM) imposed by the markets as an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyzes the results of mobility trends, production rates, logistics performance, and the strategies developed by managers and decision makers of the organizations of the agro-industrial sector for supply chain configurations during the early stages of the pandemic in a food-exporting region that contributes 14% of the world’s production of agricultural and fishery products. Through a literature review of reports and scientific articles on the behavior of the pandemic published by international organizations, research centers, and researchers around the AFSC in LATAM, the impacts on logistical disruptions, configuration strategies, and disruptive technologies applied in Latin American agrifood supply chains during the lockdown are identified. As a result of this reconfiguration of the AFSC, the development of short supply chains and the digitalization of supply based on electronic commerce were the most used strategies during COVID-19 in LATAM. The results of this study show that Mexico, Chile, and Brazil maintained a prominent position as leaders in the different logistics indicators for the AFSC by developing strategies that include short supply chains and the digitalization of supplies based on electronic commerce. Finally, this study also highlights the imminent need to address new research and theories on the reconfiguration of the AFSC, which allows expanding analytical capabilities in organizations to face future risks and challenges that will enable the reconfiguration of the supply chain in the face of catastrophic scenarios such as COVID-19.

Modern Agricultural Machinery and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management for Efficient Agricultural Development in Africa: A Case Study of Burkina Faso

Modern Agricultural Machinery and Agri-Food Supply Chain Management for Efficient Agricultural Development in Africa: A Case Study of Burkina Faso

A novel grey multi-objective binary linear programming model for risk assessment in supply chain management

Robust and resilient agri-food supply chain management (AFSCM) is paramount to agribusinesses, given the many challenges and risks that this increased demand will bring in the coming decades. Interruptions caused by various risks to this crucial supply chain network, particularly in emerging economies, can put the lives of millions in danger, not to mention creating devastating impacts on the economy and the environment. Even so, there are only a limited number of quantitative risk management studies in the AFSCM literature. In this study, an integrated modified risk mitigation matrix (M-RMM) is developed to analyze the mitigation strategies for dealing with various risks in the context of the agri-food supply chain. The M-RMM is integrated with the grey multi-objective binary linear programming (GMOBLP) model to obtain the optimal risk mitigation strategies related to the three objective functions of risk, cost, and time minimization. The proposed model is a useful tool for formulating sustainable business policies and reducing food waste, and acquiring a context-specific (i.e., a developing economy), sector-specific (i.e., the agri-food processing sector), and multi-product (i.e., fresh and non-perishable) approach. The findings reveal that continuous training and development and vulnerability analysis of IT systems are the most effective risk mitigation strategies to lessen the impacts of lack of skilled personnel, sub-standard leadership, failure in IT systems, insufficient capacity to produce quality products, and poor customer relationships. The findings assist practitioners in managing risks in supply chains.

Exploring the relationship between digitalization, resilient agri-food supply chain management practices and firm performance

PurposeThis study aims to explore the mediating role of digital technologies-based supply chain integrating (SCI) strategies on the agri-supply chain performance (SCP) and firm performance (FP). This research has introduced recently emerged digital technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT). Further, based on theoretical support and an extensive literature review, this research has proposed some hypotheses, which have been quantitatively validated for their significance.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was formulated based on an extensive literature review. Data for this research were gathered from a survey completed by 119 respondents from different departments of agri-firms. Further, partial least square (PLS)-based structured equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypothetical model.FindingsThe results confirm that IoT-based digital technologies and supply chain processes (organization integration [OI], information sharing and customer integration [CI]) have a significant positive correlation. Furthermore, supply chain practices are positively associated with SCP. Finally, it has been found that FP is positively impacted by SCP.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is used to analyse the mediating impacts of digital supply chain processes as a linking strategy for SCP and FP. For practical purposes, this research provides investment decisions for implementing digital technologies in SC strategies. The findings have proposed implications for managers and practitioners in agri-firms based on existing theories: contingency theory (CT) and relational view theory. Also, this study suggests the deployment of smarter electronically based tags and readers, which improve the data analytics capabilities based on auto-captured data. Thus, the availability of quality information improves the data-driven decisional capabilities of managers at company level.Originality/valueThis is a unique and original study exploring the relationship between digitalization, resilient agri-food supply chain (AFSC) management practices and firm performance. This research may be extended to other industries in view of the results from SCP and impact of digitalization.

Blockchain adoption in agri-food supply chain management: an empirical study of the main drivers using extended UTAUT

PurposeBlockchain technology can overcome many complicated problems related to confidentiality, integrity and availability of fast and secure distributed systems in the agri-food supply chain. In emerging economies like India, blockchain application in the agri-food supply chain is still new, and their adoption is underdeveloped. This paper aims to investigate the drivers of blockchain technology adoption and their effect on the behavioral intention of stakeholders in adopting blockchain technology among various stakeholders in the agri-food supply chain. The study also develops a framework to enhance understanding of blockchain adoption in the agri-food supply chain as well as the stakeholders' motivation in seeking blockchain solutions.Design/methodology/approachConsidering the most significant aspects of blockchain adoption in the agri-food supply chain, this study attempts to develop an adoption model by using the extended unified theory of acceptance and technology model with interfirm trust and transparency as additional factors. Data was collected from a sample of 200 stakeholders in the North Indian state of Punjab. The empirical analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling in Smart PLS3.FindingsThe findings supported the developed framework and the results of SEM indicate that all the paths are supported. In particular, the findings of the study reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, interfirm trust and transparency are the drivers of blockchain adoption and have a significant impact on the behavioral intention of stakeholders. Cumulatively, the results positively impact the performance of agri-food supply chain. From this study, it is found that the adoption of blockchain technology in agri-food supply chain enhances their performance.Originality/valueThe originality of the study lies in the developed framework, technology adoption will help them focus in the right direction by eliminating manual methods and converting the agri-food supply chain into a digitalization system.

Critical success factor analysis of blockchain technology in agri-food supply chain management: A circular economy perspective

In the sustainability system, which gives importance to the availability of resources, recycling, renewal, and reproduction strategies can be handled under the name of the circular economy. While there are many stages to be followed from food production to consumption and even recycling, one of the technologies that will contribute to the circular economy that can take an active role in these stages is blockchain technology. In this study, which is about the circular economy in sustainable supply chain management, the contribution of blockchain technology to agri-food supply chain management is discussed. The aim of the study is to research, analyze and prioritize the critical success factors of the use of blockchain technology for the agri-food sector on the way to the circular economy. As a first step, with the help of PESTEL analysis approach, 12 critical success factors for agri-food supply chain management under the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal dimensions of blockchain technology within the scope of circular economy are determined. Analytic Network Process (ANP) and MultiAtributive Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis (MAIRCA) methods are used in an integrated way to consider the degree of influence between the factors and to determine the ideal optimal factor. In the results, it is determined that the political and technological sub-criteria of blockchain technology is determined, and it is observed that the criteria handled in line with the sustainability system are compatible with the perspective of reducing the waste of resources of the circular economy. If blockchain technology is used in the agri-food sector, it has been determined that it will contribute to the circular economy with the success factors in this study. “Ability to prevent food waste”; “Increased food security”; “Product lifecycle tracking” factors take priority in their ranking.

RESILINK: increasing resilience of smallholders with multi-platforms linking localized resource sharing

Agriculture is an important sector for income generation, employment and food security in North Africa. Increasing the resilience of smallholders to face unexpected crises is a multidimensional challenge that requires a multifaceted policy. However, common to most crisis situations, the restrictions on movements has many impacts on the availability of distant resources such as agricultural supplies, equipment, services, labours and access to markets to name a few. RESILINK [1] is a Research & Innovation Action (RIA) project funded by the PRIMA organization in the context of the 2021 Section 2 call on Increasing the resilience of small-scale farms to global challenges and COVID-like crisis by using adapted technologies, smart agri-food supply chain and crisis management tools. RESILINK will increase smallholder’s resilience by providing continuity of access to both resources and markets in crisis situations. It will empower the local agri-food value chain model by optimizing usage of local resources, promoting and generalizing local resource sharing approach and facilitating territorial markets. This local agri-food value chain model will also be integrated with the local e-commerce, supply & distribution channels. The concept of localized and short agri-food value chain will also impact on the agro ecological system by minimizing the food losses and contributing to the climate & environment changes with shorter food supply chains and logistics. As a result, new and local innovative services can be identified and created, enhancing further the smallholders' agri-food chain. To implement the generalizing local resource sharing approach, RESILINK will develop a distributed digital resource management platform for real-time exchange of information on territorial resources and supplies & demands; connecting smallholders to new supply, sharing opportunities and distribution channels. While the ideas of connecting smallholders to market and sharing resources are not new, the approach taken by RESILINK is to provide a unique platform-of-platforms capable of integrating existing or future platforms into comprehensive dashboards/portfolios. To achieve its objectives, RESILINK will: develop a resilient RESILINK network ensuring high availability of services where number of distributed, light-weight and collaborating platforms that will be run on the network of Edge-IoT gateways; implement the platform-of-platforms approach for large-scale adoption and sustainability: (a) RESILINK wrapper components will enable resources from existing digital platforms to be discovered & integrated and, (b) RESILINK open API will allow development of new digital sharing platforms that can fully inter-operate with the RESILINK digital resource management platform to benefit from the RESILINK community; use cutting-edge modern Artificial Intelligence where RESILINK’s digital platform will leverage contextual intelligence to efficiently discover resources, identify trends, forecast and propose pertinent correlated resources; seamlessly integrate IoT technologies to automatize a number of information exchanges related to resource sharing. RESILINK will further develop Edge-IoT components and demonstrate IoT integration benefits for resource sharing; run an extensive piloting & evaluation program with smallholders for large-scale testing to ensure RESILINK’s concepts acceptance and validate RESILINK components in a step-by-step and incremental manner

Behavioural antecedents to blockchain implementation in agrifood supply chain management: A thematic analysis

Despite its perceived utility, several companies and managers continue to hold reservations about blockchain implementation in supply chain management. To elucidate the causes, we examine the behavioural and organisational antecedents that influence the adoption of blockchain technology in supply chain management. To do this, we undertake thematic analysis on blockchain-related agri-food business news and expert opinions from the Ovid database's Agricola section. Four themes are central to our model: organisational adoption strategies, technical advantages, environmental obstacles, and implementation intention. Using these themes, we build a thematic map and derive three propositions about the role of behavioural antecedents to blockchain implementation intention in supply chains, thus substantiating Behavioural Reasoning Theory (BRT) and Technology Organisation and Environment (TOE) theory's core arguments. Our findings elucidate novel factors influencing blockchain adoption in supply chains. More specifically, we show that managers who consider the technological benefits associated with blockchain capacity are able to provide stakeholders with new opportunities and embrace adoption strategies such as product launch and partnership formation while also considering environmental and contextual barriers such as market fragmentation, scarcity of research, and regulatory restrictions.

Application of blockchain technology for agrifood supply chain management: a systematic literature review on benefits and challenges

PurposeThis study aims to explore and analyze the application of blockchain technology (BKCT) in agrifood supply chain management (AFSM).Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review (SLR) using Scopus, Emerald and Web of Science covering publications from 2016 to 2021 (till June). Out of 429 papers, 89 papers were shortlisted from journals based on citation analysis. The citation analysis was followed by a content analysis was for an in-depth analysis.FindingsRegarding the application of BKCT in the agrifood supply chain, the study highlights the issue of food safety, traceability, transparency, eliminating intermediaries and integrating Internet of things (IoT) with BKCT as prominent applications in the agrifood sector. The study also uses the case of honey supply chain to use the explored applications in the agrifood sector and provides a traceability solution based on blockchain integrated with IoT. The challenges of BKCT as identified in the study are scalability, privacy, security, lack of regulations and lack of skills and training.Research limitations/implicationsThe review considers only academic papers obtained from specific databases with their relevance based on number of citations.Originality/valueThe study contributes to filling the existing research gap through this SLR on the application of BKCT in AFSCM. The content analysis further assists in exploring the benefits and challenges of BKCT in the agrifood sector. Thus, the academic articles selected aid in this process.

Sustainable Supplier Selection in Agri-Food Supply Chain Management

In recent times, sustainability of supply chains becomes the most interested subject by customers, firms, government bodies, academia, and suppliers as the environmental resources reveal as the most valuable and limited asset for human beings. One of the most important elements determining the performance of sustainable agri-food supply chain business is supplier’s commitment. A mainly inspiring feature in this domain is the wide range of factors influencing supplier selection decision-making process in Triple Bottom Line context must be analyzed. However, it is not easy to completely integrate and measure majority of these factors in a simple optimization model. Therefore, this paper starts with a comprehensive review of literature about supplier selection for sustainable supply chains (SSCs) development. Afterwards, a new two-steps hybrid solution method is suggested. In initial step, a set of criteria for supplier selection process is analyzed built on Fuzzy Analytic Network Process (FANP). The result of the first step is fed in to the second step of the analysis to design a model with multiple objectives for selection process of supplier using fuzzy VIKOR. All three dimensions of sustainability; specifically, factors such as weather, water and soil footprint, energy and material consumption, employment, social services and finally financial performance of supply chain are considered concurrently. The suggested approach generates a comprehensive model to help supply chain managers in supplier selection process. Numerical analysis is completed via exploiting data from a Turkish agri-food company case for validating effectiveness, also and success of the proposed solution. Final analytical results of the analysis provide valuable business policy oriented, operational and practical insights on the influence of economic, environmental, and social sustainability for enhanced supplier relationship management module in sustainable supply chain structure. Moreover, by tracking environmental impact indicators such as, emission and pollution rates, footprint rates, against social and cost indicators it would be possible to perform tradeoff analysis for giving more sustainable decisions on new supply chain investments.

A Fuzzy ISM approach for modeling electronic traceability in agri-food supply chain in India

The purpose of this paper is to explore the enablers for the implementation of electronic traceability in agri-food supply chain in India. In several agri-food supply chains, the lack of any form of traceability or the presence of paper-based traceability impacts the trade of the concerned food product. Electronic traceability (e-traceability) will assist agri-food firms in improving their performance, minimize food fraud activities, ensure efficient recall of the products and contribute in overall agri-food supply chain management. With the help of literature review and expert opinions, enablers of e-traceability are modelled and analyzed using Fuzzy ISM and FUZZY MICMAC. The combination of both these techniques helps in identifying the essential drivers in the implementation of e-traceability in agri-food supply chains. The proposed approach found that that electronic form of traceability is better than paper-based traceability in agri-food supply chains. The significant drivers in e-traceability implementation, particularly in agri-food supply chain are appropriate technology for e-traceability, competitive advantage, coordination and transparency and management support. The identified enablers would guide the managers or decision-makers in the adoption of e-traceability in their existing supply chains in the agri-food sector.

Uncovering research streams on agri-food supply chain management: A bibliometric study

This study carried out a bibliometric analysis to critically review the evolution of the agri-food supply chain (AFSC) research field over the period of 2008–2019. A set of 1236 articles was analyzed from the Web of Science database. Besides using different analytical scientometric tools (topic mapping, co-citation, co-authorship and overlay visualization networks), this study identified frequently-used keywords, new and hot research topics and frequently-studied supply chain management (SCM) practices. Frequently used keywords are food supply chain, food waste, sustainability, food safety, SCM, food industry, and food security. New research themes include contract, blockchain, internet of things, resilience, and short food supply chain, a topic that demands further research especially due to the international COVID-19 pandemic and the need of farmers to be closer to the consumers. Hot research topics, that is, subjects that have been studied in highly cited papers were also identified include life cycle assessment, environmental impact, packaging, water use, food waste prevention, food waste generation, blockchain and carbon footprint. Among SCM practices, this study observed that risk and sustainable SCM are frequently used keywords. Procurement and reverse logistics were observed in fewer studies. SCM, food waste, food quality, GHG emissions and risk management are sustainable SCM practices frequently observed.

An integrated strategic framework for large-scale crop planning: sustainable climate-smart crop planning and agri-food supply chain management

Today, the benefits of climate diversity and scaling up farmers' coordination to the landscape are particularly crucial in meeting increasing food demand and planning crop cultivation. The growing population with changing dietary patterns creates a higher demand for sustainable, coordinated agri-food networks, which consolidated the value chain of the agri-foods at both the farmers and the market side. In this paper, a strategic planning framework from a large-scale crop supply chain perspective is presented for National crop Growers’ Associations (NGAs). The proposed framework aims to better equip crop growers, in a complex decision situation in taking advantage of complementary climate and market opportunities, to plan: what, when, and how to produce crops by using water-sustainable cropping plans. The coverage of this framework is at the national level to be able to take advantage of climate diversity and complementary markets in provinces with various climatic conditions. Using a multi-stage model on a countrywide management level and crop evapotranspiration and water requirement estimates, during crop growth in the different geographical and climatic ranges, it provides advisedly estimation for the regional (counties) quantity of optimum cultivation, storage, and transportation at the minimum cost and optimum land and water usage as a reform plan for optimizing existing harvesting practices. Moreover, assurance of total local farmers' income, re-cultivation in the planning horizon, and perishability of crops are considered. These considerations allow the proposed comprehensive framework to support the successful high yield practices and more water productivity in susceptible regions and months by using the regional climatic advantages, including crop evapotranspiration, effective precipitation, and irrigation productivity. In order to illustrate the application of the framework, it was applied to 429 counties and 30 provinces of Iran for potato, onion, and tomato farming systems in 2020. Computational results guarantee small-scale farmers' income, stabilize food demand coverage, and save 397 million m 3 of irrigation water yearly.

Blockchain-based agri-food supply chain management: case study in China

The fundamental purpose of agri-food supply chain management is to restrict opportunism caused by information asymmetry. Traditional Chinese agri-food supply chain management introduces a contract mechanism and a trust mechanism to manage the uncertainty of the agri-food quasi-organization. However, it is almost impossible to improve the efficiency of transactions and maintain agri-food supply chain stability in the case of asymmetric information. Nowadays, blockchain, Internet of Things technology and big data drive the agri-food supply chain into a vast smart network which would break the information constraints. This paper analyzes the coupling between blockchain-based digital system and the agri-food supply chain. In addition, this paper presents two cases from China, indicating that the proposed blockchain-based system can achieve disruptive transformation in agri-food supply chain management.

The inventory routing problem under uncertainty with perishable products: an application in the agri-food supply chain

In this paper, we propose a dynamic and stochastic approach for an inventory routing problem in which products with a high perishability must be delivered from a supplier to a set of customers. This problem falls within the agri-food supply chain ( $${\mathcal {ASC}}$$ ) management field, which includes all the activities from production to distribution. The need for high-quality products that are subject to perishability is a critical issue to consider in the $${\mathcal {ASC}}$$ optimization. Moreover, the demand uncertainty makes the problem very challenging. In order to effectively manage all these features, a rolling horizon approach based on a multistage stochastic linear program is proposed. Computational experiments over medium-size instances designed on the basis of the real data provided by an agri-food company operating in Southern Italy show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.