Sustainable Supply Chains

The global agrifood industry is a highly complex interlinking set of relations on which the livelihoods of many and the lives of most depend. Food supply chains are generally considered as encompassing the organisations and individuals formally involved in the transformation of food from industrial farm inputs through to the point of purchase or consumption. As such, they can include input manufacturers (seed, fertiliser & agrochemical producers), primary producers (farmers, growers), those involved in product combination / transformation (processers, manufacturers), consumer interfaces (retailers, food service companies) and agents who store and / or distribute food (wholesalers, distributors).

This research theme focuses on ecological sustainability within food supply chains. This can be quantified or conceptualised in a growing number of ways. Low carbon, low input, organic, local and ecological footprinting are just some of the ways in which supply chains can frame moves towards greater sustainability. A key challenge is to integrate and operationalise these approaches to sustainability and promote their adoption among agrifood supply chains.  

Research Projects:

Climate Change in the Food Chain: Framing, Discourse and Governance (Ongoing)

Food Hubs: Alternative Supply Chain Intermediaries (Ongoing)

Measuring Sustainability in the Food Chain (2005 - 2006)

Technological Transformations in Food Consumption & Production Systems (2003 - 2005)