Developing Sustainable Food Value Chains

Developing Sustainable Food Value Chains
Author: David Neven
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
Total Pages: 92
Release: 2014
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Using sustainable food value chain development (SFVCD) approaches to reduce poverty presents both great opportunities and daunting challenges. SFVCD requires a systems approach to identifying root problems, innovative thinking to find effective solutions and broad-based partnerships to implement programmes that have an impact at scale. In practice, however, a misunderstanding of its fundamental nature can easily result in value-chain projects having limited or non-sustainable impact. Furthermore, development practitioners around the world are learning valuable lessons from both failures and successes, but many of these are not well disseminated. This new set of handbooks aims to address these gaps by providing practical guidance on SFVCD to a target audience of policy-makers, project designers and field practitioners. This first handbook provides a solid conceptual foundation on which to build the subsequent handbooks. It (1) clearly defines the concept of a sustainable food value chain; (2) presents and discusses a development paradigm that integrates the multidimensional concepts of sustainability and value added; (3) presents, discusses and illustrates ten principles that underlie SFVCD; and (4) discusses the potential and limitations of using the value-chain concept in food-systems development. By doing so, the handbook makes a strong case for placing SFVCD at the heart of any strategy aimed at reducing poverty and hunger in the long run.

International agrifood chains and networks

International agrifood chains and networks
Author: Jos Bijman
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2023-08-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9086865739

"This book brings together a rich collection of material on management and organization in agri-food chains and networks. Producers, processors, traders and retailers of agricultural and food products operate in an economic and institutional environment that is increasingly dominated by global developments. Therefore, organizing efficient and effective supply chains as well as managing collaboration among participating firms requires an international perspective. This book presents theoretical and practical insights from many different parts of the world. Topics covered include classical supply chain management issues like logistics, information exchange (e.g. tracking and tracing), quality control, safety assurance, and chain performance. Other timely issues covered are joint innovation, and shared responsibility for sustainability in agri-food supply chains. Special attention is given to issues of governance and organization of chains and networks, for example, by focussing on the role of producer organisations (such as farmer cooperatives) in their effort to combine horizontal and vertical collaboration in the international upply chain. This book is relevant for both academics and managers interested in the latest advances in research on management and organization of international agri-food chains and networks."

Vertical Linkages in Agri-foods Supply Chains in Canada and the United States

Vertical Linkages in Agri-foods Supply Chains in Canada and the United States
Author: Jill E. Hobbs
Publisher: Canadian Government Publishing
Total Pages: 98
Release: 2001
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

This report describes the nature of vertical linkages in agriculture, ranging from spot markets to vertical integration, and discusses factors leading to increased vertical co-ordination. It then reviews the applied & theoretical literature relating to vertical co-ordination, including transaction cost economics, strategic management theory, and convention theory. A conceptual framework is also developed for examining the forces behind closer vertical relations. The framework has four components: environmental drivers, product & transaction characteristics, and vertical co-ordination mechanisms. The framework is applied to the United States corn & soybean sectors to reveal the importance of technological change. Finally, the report examines the implications of closer vertical linkages for pricing, government policy, and markets.

Improving the Safety of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Improving the Safety of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Author: Wim Jongen
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 664
Release: 2005-09-19
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780849334382

With fresh produce identified as a significant source of contaminants, Improving the Safety of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables reviews research on identifying and controlling hazards and its implications for food processors. Addressing major hazards, including pathogens and pesticide residues, the text discusses ways of controlling these hazards through techniques such as HACCP and risk assessment. It analyzes the range of decontamination and preservation processes, from alternatives to hypochlorite washing systems and ozone decontamination to good practice in storage and transport. With an international team of contributors, this is an invaluable reference for those in the fruit and vegetable industry.

Competition and Efficiency in International Food Supply Chains

Competition and Efficiency in International Food Supply Chains
Author: John Williams
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2012-07-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1136332340

Why have food crises seemingly become more frequent in recent years, compared to the last few decades? This book examines an array of different issues and distortions that are causing food supply chain dysfunction in many countries, particularly for staple non-perishable foods such as grains, oilseeds, pulses and sugar. It outlines the underlying changes that are currently occurring, which will have an influence on the direction of future food supply chains, and provides some solutions to current food security problems. Based on an analysis of total regulation in the 1950s-60s through to deregulation during the 1980-90s, as well as post-deregulation, it focuses on liberal trade and deregulation as a more successful solution to creating efficiencies in food supply chains and distribution. The author highlights a common thread of either farmers using government for vested-interest intervention, or autocratic governments seeking market and supply-chain power. The book examines the role of government after 70 years of food supply chain intervention. It discusses the role of commercial ‘trade’ markets and cluster industries and how these can quickly disintegrate when price distortions occur. The author studies both food importing and exporting countries and concludes that comingled commoditization of food has led to increased hoarding, corruption, and dependence on food aid. He argues that a competitive food supply chain that has minimum intervention is more likely to provide future food security. In conclusion the book emphasizes that adequate rewards, competition, and striving for supply chain efficiencies are the essences of sustainable food security.

Linking Smallholder Producers to Modern Agri-Food Chains: Case Studies from South Asia, Southeast Asia and China

Linking Smallholder Producers to Modern Agri-Food Chains: Case Studies from South Asia, Southeast Asia and China
Author: Vijay Paul Sharma
Publisher: Allied Publishers
Total Pages: 390
Release: 2013-05-05
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 8184248245

This publication examines the processes and impact of market restructuring through comparative in-depth empirical case studies in selected Asian countries, namely, China,India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. These countries represent both a broad geographic coverage and a range of stages of market concentration in the region. The country papers address important questions such as what determines the participation of producers in different channels, what is the impact of farmer participation on incomes and what institutional, technological, economic and other reforms are necessary to enhance their effective participation in the emerging and restructuring markets.The case studies attempt to identify major factors that affect smallholder producers’ access to output markets, input markets, e.g. seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, technology and services such as credit, extension, insurance. Each case study has tried to analyse one specific innovation and these innovations are specific arrangements built on public policies, business initiatives, collective/group action by small-scale producers, etc. that appear to have played a positive role in supporting greater inclusion. The studies aim to derive models, strategies and policy principles to guide public and private sector players in promoting greater participation of small-scale producers in dynamic markets.

Agri-food Chain Relationships

Agri-food Chain Relationships
Author: Christian Fischer
Publisher: CABI
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2010
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1845936434

This book is the result of several years of research activity on the topic of how to better link farmers, processors and retailers with each other in order to ensure and improve the supply of food products which meet consumer needs and wants. The book is structured in three parts. Starting with an overview regarding main developments in the agri-food sector with relevance for chain relationships (chapter 1), Part I is mainly concerned with providing the theoretical foundations for analysing agrifood chain relations (chapters 2, 3 and 4). Building on this conceptual basis, the second part presents in-depth empirical evidence for different countries, food chains and chain stages regarding the issues of trust and sustainable relationships in agri-food chains (chapters 5 to 14). The red meat industry (beef and pigmeat) is the focus of chapters 5, 7 and 9. Cereals (bread and malting barley) are analysed in chapters 5, 7, 8, 10 and 13. Horticultural products (fresh produce and wine) are investigated in chapters 6, 12 and 14. Regionally, the studies cover Europe, North America (the USA), China, Australia and the Philippines. While most studies were conducted in developed markets, chapters 6 and 12 look at the particularities of transition or developing economies. As to individual agri-food chain stakeholders, a number of chapters (chapters 5 to 12, 14 and 15) offer and discuss separate findings for farmers, food processors or retailers. Based on the theoretical and empirical findings in the first two parts of the book, recommendations for agribusiness managers (chapter 15) and policy-makers (chapter 16) are described in the third part. Chapter 17 discusses avenues for future research.