Conceptualizing Sustainability and Resilience in Value Chains in Times of Multiple Crises—Notes on Agri-food Chains

Alexander Follmann; Peter Dannenberg; Nina Baur; Boris Braun; Grit Walther; Amelie Bernzen; Jan Börner; Michael Brüntrup; Martin Franz; Linde Götz; Anna-Katharina Hornidge; Carolin Hulke; Tinoush Jamali Jaghdani; Aarti Krishnan; Elmar Kulke; Inéz Labucay; Gilbert Mbaka Nduru; Thomas Neise; Priya Priyadarshini; Javier Revilla Diez; Johanna Rütt; Christian Scheller; Thomas Spengler; Emmanuel Sulle

doi:10.12854/erde-2024-692

Authors

Alexander Follmann University of Cologne, Institute of Geography and Global South Studies Center, Albertus Magnus Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4727-4346
Peter Dannenberg University of Cologne, Institute of Geography and Global South Studies Center, Albertus Magnus Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4159-6635
Nina Baur Technische Universität Berlin, Department of Sociology, Fraunhoferstraße 33-36, 10587 Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6626-1997
Boris Braun University of Cologne, Institute of Geography and Global South Studies Center, Albertus Magnus Platz, 50923 Cologne https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3863-2153
Grit Walther RWTH Aachen University, School of Business and Economics, Kackertstraße 7, 52072 Aachen, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0022-9027
Amelie Bernzen University of Vechta, Institute of Sustainability Transformation in Rural Areas (VISTRA), Driverstr. 11, 49377 Vechta, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9494-3645
Jan Börner University of Bonn, Institute for Food and Resource Economics and Center for Development Research, Nußallee 21, 53115 Bonn, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3034-5360
Michael Brüntrup German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Martin Franz Osnabrück University, Institute of Geography, Seminarstraße 19 a/b, 49074 Osnabrück, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1187-5166
Linde Götz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Theodor-Lieser-Str. 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8204-4522
Anna-Katharina Hornidge German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Tulpenfeld 6, 53113 Bonn, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9599-4348
Carolin Hulke Economic Geography, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8365-9614
Tinoush Jamali Jaghdani Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Theodor-Lieser-Str. 2, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2204-0452
Aarti Krishnan The University of Manchester Alliance Manchester Business School: Manchester, Manchester, GB https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4603-0497
Elmar Kulke Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Geography Department, Rudower Chaussee 16, 12489 Berlin, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8541-1030
Inéz Labucay Technische Universität Dresden, Faculty of Business and Economics, Münchner Platz 3, 01187 Dresden, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9170-4406
Gilbert Mbaka Nduru Chuka University, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Studies, P.O. Box 109 – 60400 Chuka, Kenya
Thomas Neise Heidelberg University, Institute of Geography, Berliner Str. 48, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6080-6725
Priya Priyadarshini Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0441-453X
Javier Revilla Diez University of Cologne, Institute of Geography, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2065-1380
Johanna Rütt RWTH Aachen University, School of Business and Economics, Kackertstraße 7, 52072 Aachen, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4732-3889
Christian Scheller Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production (AIP), Mühlenpfordtstraße 23, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3514-2167
Thomas Spengler Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Automotive Management and Industrial Production (AIP), Mühlenpfordtstraße 23, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0212-1899
Emmanuel Sulle The Aga Khan University, Arusha Climate And Environmental Research Centre (AKU-ACER), P.O. Box 499, Arusha, Tanzania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7816-9848

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12854/erde-2024-692

Keywords:

agriculture, global value chains, global production networks, supply chains, sustainability, resilience

Abstract

Global and regional agri-food value chains feed societies and are an income source for hundreds of millions of farmers around the world. They are also target areas for action to achieve a global sustainability transformation. Agri-food chains are highly vulnerable in the context of multiple crises, including the global environmental crisis, geopolitical fragmentation, armed conflicts and wars, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures to increase chain resilience are widely discussed; however, some such measures contradict sustainability measures. While there has been considerable research on the sustainability and resilience of agri-food chains, few studies have integrated both perspectives or outlined potential synergies and trade-offs. Therefore, this interdisciplinary literature review sketches possible contours for a synthesized research agenda on sustainability and resilience for agri-food chains during multiple crises. We argue that such an agenda should include, amongst others,
• a more differentiated and critical perspective on the importance of value chain characteristics and developments (e.g., power structures, capabilities, up- and downgrading, and the borders of chain internalities and externalities)
• a more comprehensive perspective that includes global and regional contexts and relations (e.g., whole-chain perspectives that integrate agro-input supply)
• an actor-oriented approach that interrogates aspects of inequality, cost-sharing, and the potential benefits of sustainability and resilience for different actors along a value chain (i.e., sustainability and resilience for whom?)

Conceptualizing Sustainability and Resilience in Value Chains in Times of Multiple Crises—Notes on Agri-food Chains

Authors

DOI:

Keywords:

Abstract

Downloads

Published

How to Cite

Issue

Section

License

Information

Usage Statistics Information

Make a Submission

Archive