Integrated technologies toward sustainable agriculture supply chains: missing links

Abstract

PurposeThis article sheds light on the missing links concerning the study of using integrated enabling technologies toward sustainable and circular agriculture supply chains by examining the available literature and proposing future research possibilities.Design/methodology/approachThe relevant literature was researched through online databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Premier, Emerald, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, World Scientific Net and Springer-Link Journals, covering a period from 1999 to 2020. A systematic literature review based on 75 papers analyzed the integration of the concepts of enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy and supply chain performance in agriculture supply chains.FindingsIt was identified that enabling technologies and agriculture supply chains alone have been explored further than integrated enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy, supply chain performance and agriculture supply chains. Enabling technologies and agriculture supply chains' main findings are: enabling technologies have been studied to improve food safety, food quality and traceability in agriculture supply chains. The main results regarding integrated enabling technologies, sustainability, circular economy, supply chain performance and agriculture supply chains are: Internet of Things and information communication technology play an important role in addressing food security, traceability and food quality, which help achieve sustainable development goals.Originality/valueThis review study provides 13 research questions to underpin future trends regarding integrated technologies' application in agriculture supply chains for circular and sustainable growth.

Role of Industry 4.0 in circular supply chain management: a mixed-method analysis

“…The major purpose of using mixed-method is to achieve methodological triangulation, which serves three purposes, completeness, contingency and confirmation (Jack and Raturi, 2006). Bamel and Bamel (2021) and Nayal (2021) suggest that research related to Industry 4.0 and supply chain sustainability, is limited. In such a situation, a rational approach as suggested by Jack and Raturi (2006), is to understand the phenomenon by using a qualitative method leading to answers for "why" and "how" and suggest hypotheses, which can be subsequently tested using a quantitative method.…”

“…, 2021). Nayal et al. (2021) suggest that Industry 4.0 technologies improve the performance of the supply chain by integrating processes through digitalization.…”

“…However, it is recognized that there is a need to link and understand the performance of CSCM at it involves participation from a multitude of stakeholders at different system levels (Harris et al, 2021). Nayal et al (2021) suggest that Industry 4.0 technologies improve the performance of the supply chain by integrating processes through digitalization.…”

The role of digital technologies for the LCA empowerment towards circular economy goals: a scenario analysis for the agri-food system

“…On the other hand, they support the data creation and helpful collection for developing circular and sustainable strategies and practices (Serna-Guerrero et al 2022). Adopting 4.0 technologies boosts transparency and information sharing, improving supply chain performance by integrating processes and activities, automation, digitalisation and improvement into all operational functions (Xu et al 2018;Nayal et al 2021).…”

“…Other studies have investigated the impact assessment phase and highlighted that DTs could also be useful for modelling impact assessment, widely disseminating LCA results, identifying improvement opportunities and reducing production activities' footprints (Mieras et al 2019). Moreover, it has been demonstrated that integrating big data-driven analyses, with other proven analysis methods, improves the reliability of environmental impact analyses, thanks also to the use of more reliable and real-time data (Song et al 2018;Mieras et al 2019;Zhang et al 2020;Ruggieri et al 2021;Nayal et al 2021).…”