| Cashew like many other agrifood products plays a significant role in the economies of many countries in Africa by providing employment and income.Although,production on the continent is more than half of global raw cashew nuts(RCNs),it processes less than 10%into kernels,which raises environmental concerns due to transportation of RCNs to processing factories outside the region.Nonetheless,from production through consumption to the end of life,there is the need to identify and understand environmental issues in global supply chains(GoSCs)to effectively manage negative impacts.Additionally,among many supply chain sustainability strategies,green supply chain redesign(GSCR)with local processing of RCNs is a viable option for kernel distributors as focal enterprises in cashew supply chains to meet the demand for enhanced environmental and economic performance in supply chains.GoSCs have become common for industries,and the need to manage supply chains to meet environmental sustainability goals has become a critical concern for many enterprises and stakeholders in GoSCs over the past decades.However,a thorough review of the literature suggests that there has been relatively limited research on how complex GoSCs can address environmental sustainability.Against this background,there is a need for critical theoretical insights from systematically applied frameworks and empirical studies that provide practical application for managers and policy makers.In this light,the study aims to assess environmental sustainability in complex GoSCs and identify barriers to GSCR and implementation of related practices considering the case of cashew industry.For the purpose of design-oriented environmental assessment in product system of complex GoSCs characterized with limited comprehensive data,the first objective of the study is to identify the key environmental issues in the cashew life cycle following a proposed eco-design approach based on matrix method,life cycle design strategy(LiDS)wheel and analytical hierarchical process(AHP).The results reveal that the cashew life cycle is associated with environmental sustainability issues from production through consumption to the end of life.However,the key environmental concerns in the West Africa cashew life cycle from the perspective of eco-design practices are related to the use of material for RCNs production and processing,and in the distribution system for RCNs and kernels.On the other hand,selection of low impact materials in RCNs production and processing,optimization of RCNs production and processing,distribution of RCNs and kernels,and the optimization of end of cashew life system are mid-range concerns.Although,the main attribute of material consumption or input has an overall most significant impact in the kernel product system,many sub-attributes related to gaseous emission especially emission from RCNs processing and transportation of RCNs and kernels are very significant concern in the kernel product system Thus,the output measurement of gaseous residues(greenhouse gases(GHG)emission)is among the most important measure of environmental impacts in the cashew life cycle.Also,opportunities exist in the cashew industry of West Africa to reduce negative environmental impacts.These opportunities are keen on the selection of low impact material for production and processing of RCNs,reduction of material consumption in production and processing of RCNs,optimization of RCNs and kernels production,and optimization in the distribution of RCNs and kernels.Subsequently,focusing on GHG emission as an example of critical residue in the global cashew industry,a detail analysis of how it can be measured,compared and managed in the supply chain is discussed.Based on life cycle assessment(LCA)and guided by ISO 14044,GHG emission of 1000 kg of kernels in 12 GoSCs scenarios of West Africa cashew industry are measured and compared.The results show that transportation,cashew processing operation and nutshells waste management produce significant proportion of the total GHG emission.Such results highlight the fact that alternatives in process units and flows in life cycle systems can reduce GHG emission of a product.Thus,limitation of RCNs transportation for primary processing,the use of energy efficient processing methods,and processing on large-scale gives options to supply chain managers and decision makers in the industry to reduce GHG emission.Again,making use of nutshells which is a co-product reduces life cycle GHG emission for cashew kernels,much more than it may have been considered by most stakeholders.The challenges of measuring and comparing GHG emission in the industry’s GSCs such as non-existing or inadequate quality databases are also discussed.Notwithstanding identified opportunities to reduce negative environmental impacts in the GoSCs through GSCR and implementation of related practices,several significant barriers exist to implement such r-edesigned supply chains.This study systematically identifies barriers to GSCR implementation in West Africa cashew supply chains considering two dimensions.One dimension focuses on operational functions of internal actors in a supply chain,and the other dimension focuses on strategic barriers considering the role of external actors for the supply chain.Using data collected from industry experts and large-sized kernel distributors who are keen on implementing practices in GSCR,the grey-based Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory(DEMATEL)method is used to identify the most important and fundamental barriers.The results indicate that successful GSCR implementation needs two crucial efforts for kernel distributors.One is increased collaboration with multi-tier suppliers(producer organizations and processors)and the other is to get strategic support from industry bodies,non-governmental organizations and development agencies.Additionally,in the short-term,kernel distributors need to overcome three key operational barriers,lack of internal top-level management commitment,lack of integrated management information and traceability systems,and uncertainty of economic benefits.Furthermore,barriers such as difficulties to assess environmental sustainability performance and lack of consumer demand for green cashew should be addressed in the long-term.This study contributes to identify barriers to the successful implementation of GSCR from perspectives of both the focal enterprise and the whole supply chain.A robust multi-criteria decision-making method further reveals the most important and fundamental barriers which can offer decision support for kernel distributors and policymakers in the cashew industry. |
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