IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jorsoc/v61y2010i6d10.1057_jors.2009.57.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Challenges of operations research practice in agricultural value chains

Author

Listed:
  • A J Higgins

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, St Lucia)

  • C J Miller

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, St Lucia)

  • A A Archer

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, St Lucia)

  • T Ton

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems)

  • C S Fletcher

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems)

  • R R J McAllister

    (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, St Lucia)

Abstract

Operations research (OR) methodologies in optimization have been extensively applied to problems in different agricultural value chains in recent years. We take a critical stock take of such applications to date, and reflect on their contribution to value chain sustainability and resilience. The stock take shows that the rate of industry or policy adoption has been limited, partly due to the complex interactions across the segments of agricultural value chains, and the mathematical representation being different to the way the decision maker understands the problem. OR practice in agriculture is also being asked to cover greater spatial scales and engage more stakeholders, and is required to embrace resilience and sustainability objectives. A single-minded focus on optimizing parts of these complex systems without considering the whole system is no longer adequate, and new methods and approaches are required. Complex systems science methods are being applied to analyse the dynamics of complex social–ecological systems, and are starting to find a home in industrial supply chain analysis. We demonstrate how three complex system methods, agent-based modelling, dynamical systems modelling and network analysis, can be applied to agricultural value chains as a means of gaining insights into system dynamics under different and dynamic conditions. The relevance and utility of OR in ensuring the success of agricultural value chains into the future will require practitioners to understand and model value chains as complex adaptive systems.

Suggested Citation

  • A J Higgins & C J Miller & A A Archer & T Ton & C S Fletcher & R R J McAllister, 2010. "Challenges of operations research practice in agricultural value chains," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 61(6), pages 964-973, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:61:y:2010:i:6:d:10.1057_jors.2009.57
    DOI: 10.1057/jors.2009.57
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/jors.2009.57
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/jors.2009.57?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Higgins, Andrew & Thorburn, Peter & Archer, Ainsley & Jakku, Emma, 2007. "Opportunities for value chain research in sugar industries," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(3), pages 611-621, June.
    2. David J. Pannell, 1996. "Lessons from a Decade of Whole-Farm Modeling in Western Australia," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 18(3), pages 373-383.
    3. David J. Pannell, 2006. "Flat Earth Economics: The Far-reaching Consequences of Flat Payoff Functions in Economic Decision Making," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 28(4), pages 553-566.
    4. Fletcher, C.S. & Hilbert, David W., 2007. "Resilience in landscape exploitation systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 201(3), pages 440-452.
    5. Happe, Kathrin & Damgaard, Martin & Osuch, Amanda & Sattler, Claudia & Zander, Peter & Uthes, Sandra & Schuler, Johannes & Piorr, Annette, 2006. "CAP-reform and the provision of non-commodity outputs in Brandenburg," German Journal of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Department for Agricultural Economics, vol. 55(05-06), pages 1-12.
    6. Higgins, Andrew & Antony, George & Sandell, Gary & Davies, Ian & Prestwidge, Di & Andrew, Bill, 2004. "A framework for integrating a complex harvesting and transport system for sugar production," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 99-115, November.
    7. Gigler, J. K. & Hendrix, E. M. T. & Heesen, R. A. & van den Hazelkamp, V. G. W. & Meerdink, G., 2002. "On optimisation of agri chains by dynamic programming," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(3), pages 613-625, June.
    8. Armano Srbljinovic & Ognjen Skunca, 2003. "Agent Based Modelling and Simulation of Social Processes," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 1(1-2), pages 1-8.
    9. Schreinemachers, Pepijn & Berger, Thomas & Aune, Jens B., 2007. "Simulating soil fertility and poverty dynamics in Uganda: A bio-economic multi-agent systems approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 387-401, December.
    10. Haouari, Mohamed & Azaiez, Mohamed N., 2001. "Optimal cropping patterns under water deficits," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 133-146, April.
    11. M T Lucas & D Chhajed, 2004. "Applications of location analysis in agriculture: a survey," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 55(6), pages 561-578, June.
    12. Andrés Weintraub & Carlos Romero, 2006. "Operations Research Models and the Management of Agricultural and Forestry Resources: A Review and Comparison," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 36(5), pages 446-457, October.
    13. Ahumada, Omar & Villalobos, J. Rene, 2009. "Application of planning models in the agri-food supply chain: A review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 196(1), pages 1-20, July.
    14. Zhao Qingzhen & Wang Changyu & Zhang Zhimin & Zhang Yunxiang & Wang Chuanjiang, 1991. "The Application of Operations Research in the Optimization of Agricultural Production," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 39(2), pages 194-205, April.
    15. Gupta, A. P. & Harboe, R. & Tabucanon, M. T., 2000. "Fuzzy multiple-criteria decision making for crop area planning in Narmada river basin," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 1-18, January.
    16. J E Annetts & E Audsley, 2002. "Multiple objective linear programming for environmental farm planning," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 53(9), pages 933-943, September.
    17. Michael Boehlje, 1999. "Structural Changes in the Agricultural Industries: How Do We Measure, Analyze and Understand Them?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 81(5), pages 1028-1041.
    18. Perona, Marco & Miragliotta, Giovanni, 2004. "Complexity management and supply chain performance assessment. A field study and a conceptual framework," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 103-115, July.
    19. Vonderembse, Mark A. & Uppal, Mohit & Huang, Samuel H. & Dismukes, John P., 2006. "Designing supply chains: Towards theory development," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 223-238, April.
    20. White, Leroy & Lee, Gregory John, 2009. "Operational research and sustainable development: Tackling the social dimension," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(3), pages 683-692, March.
    21. Karijn Bonne & Wim Verbeke, 2008. "Religious values informing halal meat production and the control and delivery of halal credence quality," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 25(1), pages 35-47, January.
    22. K Darby-Dowman & S Barker & E Audsley & D Parsons, 2000. "A two-stage stochastic programming with recourse model for determining robust planting plans in horticulture," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 51(1), pages 83-89, January.
    23. McCown, R. L., 2002. "Locating agricultural decision support systems in the troubled past and socio-technical complexity of `models for management'," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 11-25, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kusumastuti, Ratih Dyah & Donk, Dirk Pieter van & Teunter, Ruud, 2016. "Crop-related harvesting and processing planning: a review," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 76-92.
    2. Ahumada, Omar & Villalobos, J. Rene, 2009. "Application of planning models in the agri-food supply chain: A review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 196(1), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Behzadi, Golnar & O’Sullivan, Michael Justin & Olsen, Tava Lennon & Zhang, Abraham, 2018. "Agribusiness supply chain risk management: A review of quantitative decision models," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 21-42.
    4. Borodin, Valeria & Bourtembourg, Jean & Hnaien, Faicel & Labadie, Nacima, 2016. "Handling uncertainty in agricultural supply chain management: A state of the art," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 254(2), pages 348-359.
    5. Viaggi, Davide & Raggi, Meri & Gomez y Paloma, Sergio, 2010. "An integer programming dynamic farm-household model to evaluate the impact of agricultural policy reforms on farm investment behaviour," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(2), pages 1130-1139, December.
    6. Higgins, Andrew & Thorburn, Peter & Archer, Ainsley & Jakku, Emma, 2007. "Opportunities for value chain research in sugar industries," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(3), pages 611-621, June.
    7. Soto-Silva, Wladimir E. & Nadal-Roig, Esteve & González-Araya, Marcela C. & Pla-Aragones, Lluis M., 2016. "Operational research models applied to the fresh fruit supply chain," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 251(2), pages 345-355.
    8. Utomo, Dhanan Sarwo & Onggo, Bhakti Stephan & Eldridge, Stephen, 2018. "Applications of agent-based modelling and simulation in the agri-food supply chains," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 269(3), pages 794-805.
    9. Yu, Min & Nagurney, Anna, 2013. "Competitive food supply chain networks with application to fresh produce," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 224(2), pages 273-282.
    10. Tri-Dung Nguyen & Uday Venkatadri & Tri Nguyen-Quang & Claver Diallo & Duc-Huy Pham & Huu-Thanh Phan & Le-Khai Pham & Phu-Cuong Nguyen & Michelle Adams, 2024. "Stochastic Modelling Frameworks for Dragon Fruit Supply Chains in Vietnam under Uncertain Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-29, March.
    11. Seyyed-Mahdi Hosseini-Motlagh & Mohammad Reza Ghatreh Samani & Firoozeh Abbasi Saadi, 2021. "Strategic optimization of wheat supply chain network under uncertainty: a real case study," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 1487-1527, September.
    12. White, Leroy & Smith, Honora & Currie, Christine, 2011. "OR in developing countries: A review," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 1-11, January.
    13. Bocca, Felipe Ferreira & Rodrigues, Luiz Henrique Antunes & Arraes, Nilson Antonio Modesto, 2015. "When do I want to know and why? Different demands on sugarcane yield predictions," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 48-56.
    14. Young, Michael & Young, John & Kingwell, Ross S. & Vercoe, Philip E., 2023. "Evaluation of the least cost option to manage pastures in a wet winter in south-eastern Australia," AFBM Journal, Australasian Farm Business Management Network, vol. 20(3), August.
    15. Jena, Sanjay Dominik & Poggi, Marcus, 2013. "Harvest planning in the Brazilian sugar cane industry via mixed integer programming," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 230(2), pages 374-384.
    16. Murat Öztürk, 2024. "An Agro-Food Planning System: Democratic, Decentralized, Holistic, and Voluntary Participatory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-27, October.
    17. Junqueira, Rogerio de Ávila Ribeiro & Morabito, Reinaldo, 2019. "Modeling and solving a sugarcane harvest front scheduling problem," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 150-160.
    18. Chowdhury, Md Maruf H. & Quaddus, Mohammed, 2017. "Supply chain resilience: Conceptualization and scale development using dynamic capability theory," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 185-204.
    19. Jitka JANOVÁ, 2014. "Crop plan optimization under risk on a farm level in the Czech Republic," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 60(3), pages 123-132.
    20. Bisera Andria Gusavac & Dragana Stojanovic & Zeljko Sokolovic, 2014. "Application Of Some Locational Models in Natural Resources Industry – Agriculture Case," Romanian Statistical Review Supplement, Romanian Statistical Review, vol. 62(8), pages 82-93, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:61:y:2010:i:6:d:10.1057_jors.2009.57. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.