Linking key success factors of rice supply chain with the operational strategy in Sri Lanka: An analytical framework

Abstract

The key success factors of the rice supply chain are regarded as a potentially useful resource in structuring the performance of mud-to-mouth supply chain network. Improving the profitability of the farmer requires adoption of best operational practices for improving the performance of the sector throughout the supply chain. This study mainly focused on identifying the key success factors of the rice supply chain and the presence of those factors in the operational strategy. An exploratory survey was conducted in the Atharagallewa agriculture instructor division of the Polonnaruwa district in Sri Lanka. Randomly selected 50 farmers from a group of 380 and eight agriculture officers were used as the survey participants to identify the current performance and operational strategies in the rice production sector. Based on the statistical analysis of the rankings given by survey participants, key success factors related to mechanization, quality improvement and product development, knowledge and skill development, risk management and information availability of the rice supply chain were identified and were validated with experts' opinion. The analysis helped in developing a Rice Supply Chain Development Ladder (RSCDL). The RSCDL contained three states, namely Introduction, Improvement and Review/Standardization, and facilitated identification of AS-IS state (existing circumstances) of the rice supply chain for the selected study site. These states could differ from district to district, based on the constraints present. This development ladder can be used as an analytical framework to represent the current AS-IS states of the rice supply chain. The RSCDL model provided a structured framework to analyze the current level of operational practices in a high performance rice production area. This can be a useful benchmarking tool for the poorly performing rice growing area with similar environmental conditions.

Challenges of agri-food supply in city region food systems: an emerging economy perspective

“…Also, small-scale F&V farmers lack technology such as Polytunnels and drip irrigation because of the need for substantial capital investment. Agriculture technologies are the heart of food productivity growth (Weerabahu and Nanayakkara, 2015). Thus, agriculture technologies play a significant role in the F&V value chain for producing high quality and large quantities of F&V, leading to food security.…”