This book opens up horizons for designing innovative supply chains of citrus by-products, taking into consideration the current socio-economic situation of the actors, citrus production and distribution infrastructure, consumer preferences, and digitization progress at farmer and production levels. Moreover, the book aims to facilitate an interdisciplinary and systemic understanding of the challenges and opportunities within citrus supply chains, promoting collaborative efforts towards a more sustainable future. While sustainability in food supply chains is a global concern, the book specifically concentrates on the unique challenges and opportunities faced in the Mediterranean region. The diverse climatic conditions, cultural nuances, and market dynamics in this region require context-specific solutions, making this focus a valuable aspect of the book, while keeping the link to the global view on food supply chains.
The book emphasizes evidence-based practices and encourages readers to implement data-driven approaches to enhance the sustainability, resilience, and circularity of food supply chains. To facilitate the implementation of data-driven solutions, the authors use advanced data analytics methodologies to forecast crop yields accurately (considering local agrometeorological, soil, typology conditions), optimize supply chain processes (traceability of the citrus by-products, enhancement of production processes through technology overhauling), and minimize crop wastage, while opening new markets for citrus by-products. These data-driven solutions empower stakeholders with valuable insights to make informed decisions and achieve operational excellence, meanwhile offering healthy and sustainable nutrition to the consumers.
Beyond theoretical discussions, the book offers practical insights and real-world case studies that highlight successful sustainable practices implemented by various stakeholders in the citrus supply chain. These examples serve as inspirations for readers to initiate positive changes within their own organizations, countries, and cities through implementation of interdisciplinary and systemic transformation pathways within food systems.