Webinar Recap: Exploring Green Supply Chain Management in Agriculture

Host: Gabriela Cabezas- Global Market Analyst, Tridge

Speakers: Mzingaye Ndubiwa- Global Market Analyst, Tridge

Vivian (Yue) Guan- Trade Development-Tridge

Alper Akkurt- Global Supply Chain Manager - Türkiye, Tridge

Oreoluwa Ola- Postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Governance in International Agribusiness, Technical University of Munich

Elisa De Marchi- Assistant Professor, Department. of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan

Agenda:

• Tridge's Perspective on Sustainable Agriculture
• Insights from the Technical University of Munich
• Panel Discussion

Tridge’s February webinar, “Exploring Green Supply Chain Management in Agriculture,” showed how Tridge contributes to sustainable agriculture, market intelligence, and trade insights. Tridge also collaborates with stakeholders such as farmers, suppliers, NGOs, and governments to promote laws and policies supporting sustainable agriculture. Additionally, Dr. Oreoluwa Ola showcased innovations in green supply chain management in agriculture through the Ancient Practices Meet Innovation: Sustainable Dried Food Storage in Modern Supply Chains presentation.

Tridge's Perspective on Sustainable Agriculture

Source: Tridge

The first part of the presentation focused on strategies, including using analytics, market data, trade facilitation, and collaboration to create a resilient agricultural future. Tridge promotes sustainable agriculture through market intelligence and trade insights, facilitating the trade of sustainably produced agricultural products. Tridge offers comprehensive reports, case studies, and market research on sustainable practices.

Insights from the Technical University of Munich

The second part of the presentation revealed Dr. Ola’s latest insights from the Technical University of Munich. According to Dr. Oreoluwa, dried fruits are a crucial part of the Mediterranean diet and are expected to reach USD 9.9 billion by 2027. However, using chemicals for disinfestation, drying, and storage can cause health problems and negative environmental externalities. A new technology called Thermal Treatment Technology (TT) is being developed to streamline and improve post-harvest operations. TT uses extreme temperatures to achieve insect disinfestation, making it more environmentally friendly and less expensive. The project examines three dried fruit value chains: dates in Israel, currants in Greece, and figs in Turkey. TT can improve the sustainability of dried fruit production and processing, strengthen relationships among actors, and create opportunities for increased production of organic dried fruits. It can also be combined with precision agricultural technologies and renewable energy sources. Further research is needed to establish TT's treatment protocols with other dried fruits and insect species.

Panel Discussion:

The presentation was augmented by a panel discussion where panelists Elisa De Marchi, Vivian (Yue) Guan, Dr Ola, and Alper Akkurt answered questions from host Gabriela Cabezas. Discussing what specific research areas the Technical University of Munich is currently focusing on in the context of green supply chain management in agriculture, De Marchi and Oreoluwa emphasized that examining interactions between input producers, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers is the critical element in achieving green supply chains in agriculture. Their main project is Green Dried Fruits, which promotes green agricultural supply chains and explores Geographical Indication products.

The second question of the panel discussion revolved around examples of successful collaborations between Tridge and agricultural businesses that have embraced sustainable practices. Akkurt and Guan showed how Tridge partnered with leading agricultural businesses to enhance supply chain transparency, promote sustainable farming practices, and facilitate market access for sustainable products. They provided comprehensive data on product origins, educational resources, training programs, and expert connections. Akkurt and Guan also elaborated on how Tridge supports research and development projects to develop innovative solutions to sustainability challenges in agriculture.

The company advocates for policies and regulations supporting sustainability in agriculture, engaging with policymakers and industry associations. Tridge has partnered with eco-friendly greenhouse suppliers in China, facilitating their access to global markets, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Tridge also supports Japanese buyers in sourcing organic products from China, assisting in identifying suitable suppliers and conducting rigorous inspections to ensure quality standards.

Lastly, all the speakers shared their insights about the specific policies or regulations that the industry should be advocating to promote a greener and more sustainable agricultural supply chain. The joint stand of the panelists was that the agricultural industry is implementing policies to promote sustainable practices, such as land use regulations, water management, biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, renewable energy, and climate resilience.

These policies aim to protect natural habitats, reduce pollution, and promote sustainable agriculture. They also encourage the adoption of organic farming standards, regenerative agriculture, and integrated pest management. The industry also promotes supply chain transparency and fair trade through traceability requirements and fair trade standards. It also supports smallholder farmers and rural communities through improved access to resources and investments in rural infrastructure. These include measures to mitigate environmental degradation, prevent deforestation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, control pollution, and ensure water security.

Click here to view the webinar recording, or click here to view the slides, and also Dr. Oreoluwa Ola’s presentation here.