A busca pela sustentabilidade é um direcionador dos negócios agrícolas. Com o retorno de 94% das embalagens vazias de agroquímicos, o Brasil é referência mundial na logística reversa deste produto. Trata-se de uma cadeia com o compartilhamento de responsabilidade de todos os envolvidos. O objetivo da presente pesquisa é a caracterização da cadeia reversa de embalagens vazias de agroquímicos e análise dos pontos de sucesso.
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the complexities of the Brazilian soybean supply chain (SSC) and develop strategic interventions to improve the origin system’s performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used stakeholder interviews to identify the SSC bottlenecks and determine and assess drivers of competitiveness. A methodological framework based on the systems thinking approach for developing long-term structural changes was used. The problem was structured using behavior over time graph and causal loop modeling to propose three investment strategies to solve the logistics problem in SSC.
Findings
This study highlights the gaps in coordination between stakeholders and the public sector regarding the public policy for infrastructure investment. Three strategic interventions were developed to address the agro-industrial logistical problem, namely, investment in storage, multimodal transport systems and improvements in existing transport infrastructure. To overcome transport and storage logistics limitations, the authors suggest different forms of partnerships, including public-private partnerships.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited to evaluating an agricultural commodity (soybean) and does not include its by-products. The sample of stakeholders was limited and the boundary of analysis was Brazil. Nevertheless, the study showed how strategic interventions could be developed following a holistic analysis.
Practical implications
The proposed integrated approach illustrates the development of three strategic initiatives. It can be implemented by stakeholders, including the public sector, which is the basis for providing assertive long-term investments in Brazilian logistics.
Social implications
The SSC analysis could promote the implementation of systemically determined interventions and strategies. It could significantly improve the performance of agricultural systems and help the formulation of public policies aimed at rural development.
Originality/value
The use of system dynamics to identify intervention points is an essential contribution to mitigating the SSC’s hindrances. Moreover, the combining methodologies resulted in comprehensive intervention strategies.
The last Brazilian agricultural frontier known as MATOPIBA, an acronym for the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piaui and Bahia, is a region that has stood out in the scenario of modern large-scale agriculture intensive in capital and technology. However, barriers related to the transportation system, especially regarding the high logistics costs, have been negatively impacting this sector. To optimize the performance of this chain, a model for minimizing transportation costs was developed, using linear programming with an origin-destination matrix. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate whether the use of the North-South Railroad has potential as a new alternative intermodal route for soybean export from the MATOPIBA region, in order to minimize the transportation costs and promote the viability of new ports located in the northeast region of the country. This configuration can also contribute to reduce the overload of Santos Port (SP). Two scenarios were proposed based on the 2016/17 harvest of soybeanwhere the first scenario (A) consisted only of road routes, while the second (B), in addition to these routes, incorporated road-rail and road-water way intermodal routes. As a result, total transportation cost was reduced by 30% in scenario B and about half of all cargo was shipped by the new intermodal road-rail route to the Itaqui Port in the Northeast region. This configuration promotes a more sustainable logistics chain for soy, with more rational use of transport modes and decentralization of investments to other regions.
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