Building Regenerative Supply Chains: A Qualitative Study of SMEs in the Agro-Food Chains

This study aims to identify, first the unique resources that are critical for regenerative supply chain (RSC) and, second, explore how these unique resources can be leveraged for building RSCs in SMEs within agro-food chains. Adopting a qualitative research design, this study investigates the intricate process of developing RSCs, which is analyzed through the resource-based view (RBV) lens. The findings identify critical tangible resources, such as data, technology, and essential materials, alongside intangible resources like organizational culture and learning, as well as human skills, as vital to creating RSCs in agro-food supply chains. The strategic combination of these resources is crucial for SMEs in this sector to build RSCs, ultimately gaining a competitive advantage. This study also identifies contextual elements (governance mechanisms, institutional and policy environment, and sociocultural influences) that can influence the RSC performance of SMEs in agro-food supply chains. This study presents a novel RSC model tailored to agro-food supply chains, with a particular focus on measuring performance outcomes of SMEs in agro-food supply chains. It is the first to explore RSC model building through the RBV, identifying a strategic combination of tangible, intangible resources and human skills essential for building RSCs. Additionally, this study offers original insights into contextual elements, such as governance mechanisms and external influences, that shape RSC development, advancing both theoretical knowledge and practical strategies for SMEs in this sector. This study contributes to a broad spectrum of SDGs by addressing issues related to responsible production and consumption (SDG 12), life on land (SDG 15), and climate action (SDG 13).