Causes of waste in the leafy vegetable supply chain in Kermanshah province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Agricultural Development and Management, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran

3 Department of Agricultural Management and Development, Faculty of Economics and Agricultural Developmen, University of Tehran

4 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Iran.

10.30490/rvt.2023.361267.1510

Abstract

Today, food waste has become a global concern for sustainable agri-food systems. According to field investigations, a considerable portion of leafy vegetables in Kermanshah province are wasted each year due to inefficiencies in the supply chain. However, no precise statistics or information on the amount of waste generated across the leafy vegetable supply chain or its drivers were provided. This study aimed to determine the amount of waste in the leafy vegetable supply chain in Kermanshah province and its causes. The research data collection tool was a questionnaire. The statistical population of this study included two groups of subject experts and leafy vegetable supply chain stakeholders in 1400. In total, 60 experts and 728 stakeholders were investigated across the leafy vegetable supply chain. The study results indicate that the stages of production (with 24% of waste) and household consumption (with 21% of waste) are the most important entry points for the intervention and implementation of leafy vegetable waste reduction strategies. The results of investigating the causes of waste showed that the inappropriate quality of the product supplied to each stage of the supply chain is one of the most important causes of leafy vegetable waste due to the undesirable actions and behaviors of actors in the previous stages; thus, applying measures and strategies to deal with the causes of waste in the earlier stages of the supply chain while reducing waste in these stages has a significant effect on reducing the amount of waste in the subsequent stages.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Village and Development

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 24 July 2023

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