Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran

Decreasing food loss and waste (FLW) has become a global concern towards achieving sustainable food systems. One widely embraced approach is contract farming (CF), which enables the supply chain (SC) actors to manage the aggregate SC risks. Leafy vegetables are particularly vulnerable to wastage due...

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Main Authors: Mostafa Moradi, Hossein Shabanali Fami, Ali Akbar Barati, Felicitas Schneider, Reza Salehi Mohammadi, Lusine Aramyan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Food & Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311932.2024.2443270
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author Mostafa Moradi
Hossein Shabanali Fami
Ali Akbar Barati
Felicitas Schneider
Reza Salehi Mohammadi
Lusine Aramyan
author_facet Mostafa Moradi
Hossein Shabanali Fami
Ali Akbar Barati
Felicitas Schneider
Reza Salehi Mohammadi
Lusine Aramyan
author_sort Mostafa Moradi
collection DOAJ
description Decreasing food loss and waste (FLW) has become a global concern towards achieving sustainable food systems. One widely embraced approach is contract farming (CF), which enables the supply chain (SC) actors to manage the aggregate SC risks. Leafy vegetables are particularly vulnerable to wastage due to inadequate quality and SC performance, with Iran experiencing an alarming annual leafy vegetables waste (LVW) rate of 39% due to SC inefficiencies. Numerous scholars have proposed diverse FLW prevention strategies, yet their implementation often falters due to the absence of economic incentives for stakeholders. Hence, the focus should shift towards market-based strategies. This study examines the effect of CF as an economic incentive for farmers to reduce LVW in Kermanshah province. To achieve this goal, a system dynamics model of the waste system in the leafy vegetable SC (LVSC) was developed Data for the research was collected using a questionnaire, which surveyed 60 specialists and 728 actors across the SC. The results revealed that more than 50% of the LVW could be reduced by implementing CF. Consequently, government policies and initiatives should prioritize the development of processing industries via CF as a strategic avenue for action.
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series Cogent Food & Agriculture
spelling doaj-art-e8bc69b2d2f0488d9118ba96f7695a1e2024-12-21T15:17:07ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Food & Agriculture2331-19322025-12-0111110.1080/23311932.2024.2443270Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of IranMostafa Moradi0Hossein Shabanali Fami1Ali Akbar Barati2Felicitas Schneider3Reza Salehi Mohammadi4Lusine Aramyan5Department of Agricultural Management and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, IranDepartment of Agricultural Management and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, IranDepartment of Agricultural Management and Development, University of Tehran, Karaj, IranJohann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Braunschweig, GermanyDepartment of Horticultural Sciences, University of Tehran, Karaj, IranWageningen University & Research, Wageningen Economic Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsDecreasing food loss and waste (FLW) has become a global concern towards achieving sustainable food systems. One widely embraced approach is contract farming (CF), which enables the supply chain (SC) actors to manage the aggregate SC risks. Leafy vegetables are particularly vulnerable to wastage due to inadequate quality and SC performance, with Iran experiencing an alarming annual leafy vegetables waste (LVW) rate of 39% due to SC inefficiencies. Numerous scholars have proposed diverse FLW prevention strategies, yet their implementation often falters due to the absence of economic incentives for stakeholders. Hence, the focus should shift towards market-based strategies. This study examines the effect of CF as an economic incentive for farmers to reduce LVW in Kermanshah province. To achieve this goal, a system dynamics model of the waste system in the leafy vegetable SC (LVSC) was developed Data for the research was collected using a questionnaire, which surveyed 60 specialists and 728 actors across the SC. The results revealed that more than 50% of the LVW could be reduced by implementing CF. Consequently, government policies and initiatives should prioritize the development of processing industries via CF as a strategic avenue for action.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311932.2024.2443270Leafy vegetable supply chainfood waste reduction initiativescontract farmingsustainable food systemssystem dynamics modelingMiddle East Studies
spellingShingle Mostafa Moradi
Hossein Shabanali Fami
Ali Akbar Barati
Felicitas Schneider
Reza Salehi Mohammadi
Lusine Aramyan
Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
Cogent Food & Agriculture
Leafy vegetable supply chain
food waste reduction initiatives
contract farming
sustainable food systems
system dynamics modeling
Middle East Studies
title Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
title_full Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
title_fullStr Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
title_full_unstemmed Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
title_short Leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste: a system dynamics approach from Kermanshah province of Iran
title_sort leveraging contract farming to reduce leafy vegetable waste a system dynamics approach from kermanshah province of iran
topic Leafy vegetable supply chain
food waste reduction initiatives
contract farming
sustainable food systems
system dynamics modeling
Middle East Studies
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311932.2024.2443270
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