Rapid urban expansion gives rise to smart cities which pose immense logistical and supply chain challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the holistic system identified by Zhao et al. in 2021. The system encompasses logistics and supply chain integral to the concept of smart cities, with a focus on sustainability. This transformation requires an in-depth study on challenges of a common framework of policies for smart cities in countries comprising the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The study employs an extensive literature analysis for the period 2020–2022. an approach which contextualizes the model. The model identifies the causes, impact, and spillovers of new trends in logistics and supply, including the sustainability of adopted technologies. The study includes the variables involved, and barriers to creating a shared model. The results reveal that the two elements affecting the supply chain and transport in smart cities are Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies supporting specific sectors. The resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises positively impacts the sustainability of large urban centres. The study presents both factors that help and hinder the adoption of environmental, social, and economic sustainability technologies.

The purpose of this study is to explore factors influencing the blockchain adoption in agricultural supply chains, to make a particular focus on how security and privacy considerations, policy support, and management support impact the blockchain adoption intention. it further investigates perceived usefulness as a mediating variable that potentially amplifies the effects of these factors on blockchain adoption intention, and sets perceived cost as a moderating variable to test its influence on the strength and direction of the relationship between perceived usefulness and adoption intention. through embedding the cost-benefit theory into the integrated tam-toe framework and utilizing the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method, this study identifies the pivotal factors that drive or impede blockchain adoption in the agricultural supply chains, which fills the gap of the relatively insufficient research on the blockchain adoption in agriculture field. the results further provide empirical evidence and strategic insights that can guide practical implementations, to equip stakeholders or practitioners with the necessary knowledge to navigate the complexities of integrating cutting-edge technologies into traditional agricultural operations, thereby promoting more efficient, transparent, and resilient agricultural supply chains.

The study explores improving opportunities of forecasting accuracy from the traditional method through advanced forecasting techniques. This enables companies to optimize inventory management, production planning, and reducing the travelling time thorough vehicle route optimization. The article introduced a holistic framework by deploying advanced demand forecasting techniques i.e., AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Recurrent Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory (RNN-LSTM) models, and the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) approach. The actual milk demand data came from the company and two forecasting models, ARIMA and RNN-LSTM, have been deployed using Python Jupyter notebook and compared them in terms of various precision measures. VRPTW established not only the optimal routes for a fleet of six vehicles but also tactical scheduling which contributes to a streamlined and agile raw milk collection process, ensuring a harmonious and resource-efficient operation. The proposed approach succeeded on dropping about 16% of total travel time and capable of making predictions with approximately 2% increased accuracy than before.

With its inherent characteristics of decentralization, immutability, and transparency, blockchain technology presents a promising opportunity to revolutionize the South African food supply chains. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized, immutable, and secure nature, offers solutions to these challenges by improving traceability and accountability across the supply chain. This study investigates the role of blockchain technology in enhancing transparency in the food supply chain among small and medium enterprises in South Africa. SMEs form a critical part of the country's agri-food sector but face challenges such as food fraud, inefficient inventory management, and lack of transparency, which impact food safety and trust. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, utilizing the Technology-Organization-Environment framework and Institutional Theory to explain blockchain adoption among SMEs. The results demonstrate that blockchain-enabled practices, such as smart contracts, records traceability, production tracking, and distribution monitoring, significantly enhance supply chain transparency. The findings highlight blockchain's potential to increase operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder trust. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the need for regulatory support and strategic investment in blockchain solutions to promote sustainability and competitiveness in the agri-food sector.

The cultivation of red chili in East Java, Indonesia, has significant economic and social impacts, necessitating proactive supply chain measures. This research aimed to identify priority risk agents, develop effective risk mitigation, and enhance supply chain resilience using the SCOR model, House of Risk, Interpretative Structural Modelling (ISM), and synthesis analysis. Examining 238 respondents—including farmers, collectors, wholesalers, retailers, home-agroindustries, and experts—the findings highlight farmers’ critical role in supply chain resilience despite risks from crop failures, weather fluctuations, and pest infestations. Simultaneous planting led to market oversupply and price drops, but accurate pricing information facilitated quick market adaptation. Wholesalers influenced pricing dynamics and income levels, impacting farmers directly. To improve resilience, three main strategies were developed through ten key elements: proactive strategies (real-time SCM tracking, Weather Early Warning Systems, risk management team formation, and training), resistance strategies (partnerships, chili stock reserves, storage and drying technologies, GAP implementation, post-harvest management, agricultural insurance, and Fair Profit Sharing Agreements), and recovery and growth strategies (flexible distribution channels and customizable distribution centers). Furthermore, the study delves into the mediating and moderating effects between variables within the model. This research not only addresses a knowledge gap but also provides stakeholders with evidence to consider new strategies to enhance red chili supply resilience.