The Lean Farm: Application of Tools and Concepts of Lean Manufacturing in Agro-Pastoral Crops

Abstract

Agriculture must find new ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency to meet the rising demand for products, avoiding waste due to potential food scarcity. Through the systematic literature review methodology, this study analyzes and synthesizes the existing literature on lean manufacturing (LM) applied in agro-pastoral production, its impact on reduction in losses and waste, and productivity increases considering production function mechanism (PFM), connecting to a sustainability model based on triple bottom line (TBL). A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify relevant studies and critically evaluate them using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings provide insights into LM applied in agro-pastoral production and inform future research in the field, highlighting the potential of using LM concepts by reducing losses and waste and increasing productivity. The potential for TBL impacts from application of lean concepts in agro-pastoral production suggests a tendency for growth in this area of research. A theoretical understanding of how lean tools and techniques can be applied to improve productivity and profitability in the agricultural sector is provided, as well as practical examples and recommendations for implementing lean practices in agricultural operations, aligning sustainability and LP tools and concepts.

Resource Efficiency and Environmental Impact Assessment Method for Small-Scale Producers: A Case Study of Pond and In-Pond Raceway System Production for Growing Nile Tilapia

“…The implementation of lean manufacturing concepts has been applied across a range of agricultural sectors, including rice cultivation, shrimp farming, and poultry farming [18,19]. Each lean tool employs a distinct method for minimizing losses and waste, tailored to the specific production process.…”

“…Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is another commonly applied tool for distinguishing non-value-added activities from value-added ones based on customer demand, offering a visual depiction of resource utilization either in the product supply chain or in operating processes to identify waste. However, improper VSM mapping can introduce complexity, necessitating expertise and time for effective communication [18,19]. VSM has evolved to incorporate environmental considerations, beginning with the assessment of energy usage through Energy Value Stream Mapping [21].…”

“…Thailand, one of the world's foremost agricultural and food-exporting nations, stands 20th in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing 437. 18 Mt CO 2 e in 2019, with agricultural emissions accounting for 15% of this total [6]. The majority of Thai farmers operate as small-scale producers and are facing limited access to capital, resources, technology, and market influence.…”

Methodological approach for the use of agricultural transformation losses based on lean manufacturing: Case Study on a coffee farm in Colombia

“…(Espera) (Chairany et al, 2022) Pimienta de Cayena (Indonesia) Reducir riesgos de pérdida de alimentos en cadenas de suministro agrícola mediante principios Lean (Espera, Inventario, Producto defectuoso). (Martins et al, 2023) Agro-Pastoral (Brasil) Reducir pérdidas y desperdicios en la producción agro-pastoral con impacto de sostenibilidad. (Bella et al, 2024) Transformación de alimentos (Indonesia)…”

“…En ella se implementan innovaciones simples que garantizan continuidad en el flujo del proceso y variedad en la oferta de productos ajustados a las necesidades del mercado (Womack et al, 1991). Esta filosofía es convergente con el sector agrícola debido a las necesidades comunes de eliminación de ineficiencias de proceso conocidas como "Muda" (Martins et al, 2023). Estudios recientes en productividad y eficiencia en el sector agrícola han integrado sistemas de mejora de la calidad en los procesos de cultivo como un objetivo emergente destacándose la implementación Lean (Caicedo et al, 2019).…”