Traceability systems as a differentiation tool in agri-food value chains: a framework for public policies in Latin America

Purpose - The goal of this paper is to develop a classification of traceability systems that will help academics and policymakers think of them as a tool for differentiation in agri-food value chains. Design/methodology/approach - Based on the analysis of case studies and a literature review, the authors develop a conceptual framework to classify traceability systems based on two dimensions: their scope in the value chain (individual vs integrated) and the type of information they contain (basic vs advanced). Findings - Integrated traceability systems provide a variety of benefits vis-à-vis individual systems as a tool to achieve greater product differentiation by meeting current and latent requirements from foreign countries' governments and consumers. Also they serve as a platform for including advanced (vis-à-vis basic) information into the system. Research limitations/implications - A series of studies would be required to quantify the relative costs of different traceability systems and compare them on a cost-benefit basis. Nevertheless, since integrated traceability systems are subject to coordination failures, significant public focus and efforts should be placed on the potential promotion of those systems. Originality/value - This paper provides a novel classification of traceability systems that distinguishes them according to scope and information content.