Identifying Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Food Loss and Waste Reduction in Agricultural Perishable Food Supply Chains: A Multi‐Method Causal Analysis From a <scp>B2B</scp> Perspective Emerging Rural Economy
ABSTRACT Food loss and waste (FLW) in agricultural perishable food supply chains (APFSCs) remains a persistent barrier to food security, environmental sustainability and rural economic development, particularly in emerging economies. Prior studies have documented various operational, technological, and infrastructural bottlenecks and this limited empirical work clarifies the specific capabilities that are necessary, which are sufficient, and the ones which exert their influence only in specific combinations to reduce FLW in business‐to‐business (B2B) APFSCs. Grounded in the contingent resource‐based view (CRBV), this study examines how capability deficits, contextual constraints and inter‐organisational dynamics jointly shape FLW outcomes in India's rural APFSCs. To address the inherent causal complexity of FLW, the study adopts an integrated tri‐method approach combining partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM), necessary condition analysis (NCA), and fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Data from 333 valid responses across diverse APFSC actors, including farmers, wholesalers, processors, distributors and cold storage operators. PLS‐SEM is used to construct and validate latent constructs while minimising measurement error. Latent scores feed into NCA to identify bottleneck conditions, and into fsQCA to uncover non‐linear, equifinal capability configurations associated with high FLW. The findings reveal that FLW emerges not from isolated deficiencies but from interdependent, context‐contingent capability gaps, including inadequate cold‐chain infrastructure, weak digital information systems, insufficient training, limited coordination mechanisms and fragmented marketing linkages. Several capabilities function as necessary but not sufficient, while others act as sufficient only within particular configurations, highlighting the asymmetric and complementary nature of capability effects. These insights extend CRBV by demonstrating that capability value depends on institutional conditions, actor interdependencies and minimum resource thresholds. The study contributes a nuanced causal explanation of FLW reduction and offers actionable guidance for managers and policymakers regarding the prioritisation and orchestration of operational, technological and relational capabilities in emerging rural B2B agri‐food systems.
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