Assessing the Impact of Supply Chain Management Practices on Food Wastage: Tomato Transport from Sokoto to Imo State (Published)
Food wastage, particularly in perishable supply chains, represents a critical challenge to food security and economic sustainability in Nigeria. Tomato postharvest losses are especially severe, often exceeding 45%, yet the specific impact of supply chain management (SCM) practices during long-distance transportation remains underexplored. This study assessed the impact of SCM practices on tomato wastage during transport from Sokoto to Imo State, Nigeria, identifying key contributing factors and evaluating their sustainability implications. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitatively, 500 questionnaires were purposively administered to farmers, transporters, wholesalers, and retailers along the corridor. Qualitatively, 20 key informant interviews were conducted with supply chain managers, policymakers, and agricultural officers. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (v23.0) for descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Findings reveal a dominance of inefficient traditional practices: 77.5% of tomatoes are transported in raffia baskets and 82.5% in open trucks, with only 5% using refrigerated transport. Transportation delays (54.7%) and poor handling (62.1%) were primary wastage drivers. Significant sustainability impacts were observed, with economic viability perceptions significantly lower in Sokoto (producers) than Owerri (consumers) (2.7±0.9 vs. 3.4±0.8, p<0.001). A critical paradox emerged: while 76.8% of stakeholders expressed willingness to adopt improved practices, actual adoption remains minimal, hindered by cost, infrastructure, and coordination barriers. Tomato wastage is a systemic outcome of interdependent SCM failures, not isolated incidents. The study concludes that effective reduction requires integrated, multi-level interventions. Immediate actions should include crate subsidies and handling training; medium-term strategies should focus on cold chain and road infrastructure development; and long-term policy must foster an integrated national strategy for postharvest loss reduction to enhance food security and supply chain sustainability.
Keywords: Food wastage, Nigeria, Supply chain management, Sustainability, cold chain logistics, postharvest loss, tomato