May 2024

Innovation in Sustainable Citrus Supply Chains: Project Completion

Over the past three years, the ImPUlSe project has made significant advances in innovating the by-product supply chain of citrus in the Mediterranean area. This project has brought together industry and academic partners from Germany, France, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey to design innovative supply chains, tackling the challenges of citrus waste and transforming it into valuable resources.

During a dedicated special session at AIRL-SCM 2024 conference, the project coordinator Denis Daus shared the exciting outcomes of ImPUlSe to the international audience of sustainability and supply chain leaders.

The project set out to address the pressing issue of citrus waste in the MENA region, where residues from processing account for 50-60% of the fruit. Addressing this issue, the project analysed the entire supply chain starting with agricultural practices until investigating the consumer perspectives on products made from by-products or waste. The project’s value chain approach focused on improving supply chain performance and promoting technology adoption under consideration of circular economy principles, thereby tackling the biological as well as technological circularity.

Detailed mapping and analyses of the citrus supply chain identified inefficiencies and areas for improvement. The researchers utilised simulation and logistics optimization to enhance waste management practices and conducted lifecycle assessments and costing to evaluate and improve the sustainability of the supply chain. A closed-loop citrus supply chain model was developed and simulated, reducing citrus loss at various stages, while improving farmer’s profits.

Denis Daus has also highlighted the importance of digital tools in supporting decision-making and enhancing supply chain resilience and sustainability. Hence, the Analytics and Decision Support System (ADSS) was conceptualized under the project. This assessment tool combines the optimization models developed in the project. Currently under development, the ADSS should provide stakeholders with insights to create value out of by-products and waste, while optimizing logistics and sustainability measures along the entire citrus supply chain. In the backend, ADSS will be connected to the Information and Knowledge Hub (IKH). This platform will provide supply chain stakeholders with valuable information, important knowledge, and sustainable best practices, facilitating the operationalisation of sustainable and circular citrus supply chains.

The project’s outcomes were well received by the audience. During subsequent discussions, promising collaboration opportunities and further project ideas were developed, which now need to be put into practice. The results underscore the potential for circular business models to drive competitiveness and sustainability in the citrus industry, contributing to food security and sovereignty in the MENA region. With successful case studies, advanced optimization models, and facilitated technology adoption, the ImPUlSe project sets the stage for future advancements and wider implementation of circular supply chains. The team’s focus now shifts to refining and operationalizing the ADSS, making it accessible to a broader audience and revolutionizing decision-making in the food industry.