This book features five peer-reviewed reviews on optimising agri-food supply chains.

The first chapter provides an overview of agri-food supply chains and explores the unique characteristics which differentiate them from other manufacturing supply chains. The chapter also provides a framework for designing future agri-food supply chains.

The second chapter reviews recent advances in agri-food traceability systems and technologies, as well as barriers to their implementation. The chapter also explores possible improvement pathways and policy interventions to promote deployment of advanced food traceability systems.

The third chapter considers food governance and how it frames crisis management and product recalls in food supply chains. The chapter also addresses the use of Blockchain systems within public-private partnerships for food governance.

The fourth chapter highlights the causes of food losses and waste (FLW) and outlines strategies to prevent/reduce FLW along the supply chain, including investments, good practices, behavioural changes and coordination within the food chain.

The final chapter explores the role of decision support systems in improving data management in agri-food supply chains. The chapter also provides an overview of organisational models used in data communication along the supply chain.

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Professor Sander de Leeuw is Chair in Operations Research and Logistics at Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands. He is also Adjunct Professor of Supply Chain Management at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Professor de Leeuw is European Editor for the Journal of Business Logistics and has over 20 years of experience, including management consultancy for companies such as KPMG. He is internationally known for his research on online retail logistics as well as his work with NGOs on humanitarian aid supply chains.

• Chapter 1 - Studying agri-food supply chains: an analytical framework: Sander de Leeuw, Renzo Akkerman and Rodrigo Romero Silva, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands;
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Agri-food supply chains (AFSCs): a brief review
  • 3 The development of the concept of 'supply chains'
  • 4 Food systems versus food supply chains
  • 5 Designing AFSCs: a framework
  • 6 The structure of this book
  • 7 References

  Chapter taken from: de Leeuw, S., Akkerman, R. and Romero-Silva, R. (ed.), Frontiers in agri-food supply chains: Frameworks and case studies, pp. 1-10, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2024, (ISBN: 978 1 80146 271 6)

  • Chapter 2 - Advances in traceability systems in agri-food supply chains: Samantha Islam, University of Cambridge, UK; Louise Manning, Royal Agricultural University, UK; and Jonathan M. Cullen, University of Cambridge, UK;
    • 1 Introduction
    • 2 Traceability drivers
    • 3 Food traceability in theory
    • 4 Food traceability system
    • 5 Traceability technologies
    • 6 Barriers in implementation of effective food traceability systems
    • 7 Improvement pathways
    • 8 Where to look for further information
    • 9 References

    Chapter taken from: Manning, L. (ed.), Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2022, (ISBN: 978 1 78676 749 3)

    • Chapter 3 - The role of technology in crisis management and product recall in food supply chains: Louise Manning, Royal Agricultural University, UK; and Aleksandra Kowalska, Maria Curie- Sklodowska University, Poland;
      • 1 Introduction
      • 2 Food supply chain governance
      • 3 Information asymmetry
      • 4 Data sharing as a mechanism to underpin public-private partnerships (PPPs)
      • 5 Concluding thoughts
      • 6 Where to look for further information
      • 7 References

      Chapter taken from: Manning, L. (ed.), Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2022, (ISBN: 978 1 78676 749 3)

      • Chapter 4 - Improving supply chains to prevent food losses and waste: an overview: Hamid El Bilali, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Austria;
        • 1 Introduction
        • 2 Food losses and waste along the supply chain: main causes and reduction strategies
        • 3 Reducing food wastage along the food supply chain: the need for a systems approach
        • 4 Future trends and conclusion
        • 5 Where to look for further information
        • 6 References

        Chapter taken from: Yahia, E. M. (ed.), Preventing food losses and waste to achieve food security and sustainability, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN: 978 1 78676 300 6)

        • Chapter 5 - Developing decision support systems for improving data management in agricultural supply chains: Gerhard Schiefer, University of Bonn, Germany;
          • 1 Introduction
          • 2 Decisions in supporting data management
          • 3 Decision tools
          • 4 Principal case studies
          • 5 Conclusion and future trends
          • 6 References

          Chapter taken from: Armstrong, L. (ed.), Improving data management and decision support systems in agriculture, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN: 978 1 78676 340 2)