Benchmarking Agri-Food Value Chain Performance Factors in South Mediterranean Countries

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables (F&V) and olive oil are in South Mediterranean Countries (SMCs) two prominent agricultural activities in terms of contribution to national economy and exports. However, both are affected by inefficiencies and poor performance, in particular on the export market. In this paper we assess and compare performance factors between F&V and olive oil value chains (VCs) in Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and Turkey, on the one side, and in Spain and Italy taken as benchmarks, on the other side. We propose an adapted Value Chain Maturity Model to benchmark performance factors in these VCs in SMCs. The proposed method could help to identifying poor performing areas in these VCs in order to suggest measures to improve their overall performance in general and export performance in particular. Findings confirm a robust association between VC maturity and performance. VC participants should learn from best practices and incorporate them for improvement, in particular in the areas of VC organization, responsiveness and technology adoption and implementation. In addition, more efficient agri-food exportation from SMCs needs more focus on trade facilitation issues including improvements in administrative procedures, infrastructure and technologies that reduce costs and time to export and facilitate investment. Further challenges outline the need for improvements in the areas of transparency, standards, certification, food safety, traceability and sustainability, taking into consideration that long-term partnerships are desired by international buyers to ensure product supply and quality. Public policies should be refocused towards these new challenges considering not only purely economic performance in these countries but also social development and environmental protection and resource preservation.