Critical factors for sustainable perishable food supply chains: Insights from Malawi banana supply chain

Sustainability in perishable food supply chains (FSCs) is crucial for advancing global priorities, including food security, climate resilience, and equitable socioeconomic progress. Despite growing awareness, developing countries face unique challenges in achieving FSC sustainability. The situation is further complicated by weak governance, fragmented infrastructure, and multiple socioeconomic constraints. This research examines the sustainability of the banana supply chain in Malawi, grounded on a combination of the Network Theory, the Theory of Constraints, and the Theory of Change. Using exploratory factor analysis, the research identifies several factors influencing FSC sustainability, grouped under five critical dimensions: governance, vertical and horizontal collaboration, efficiency, resilience, and awareness. The findings emphasise stakeholder collaboration, knowledge and information sharing, and governance-level institutional support in promoting systemic efficiency and resilience. A conceptual framework is proposed, highlighting the interconnected dynamics between resource optimisation, adaptive governance, and collaborative innovation to guide actionable strategies. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers seeking to address the unique challenges and capitalise on the opportunities within developing-country contexts. Therefore, it holds promise to advance both theoretical understanding and practical routes toward sustainable FSCs.