Navigating the future of agri-food supply chain: A conceptual framework using bibliometric review

The Agri-Food Supply Chain (AFSC) has gained worldwide attention among researchers for its diverse applications. With market expansion and globalization, one of the most challenging issues in the AFSC to connect these diverse research fields with contemporary supply chain trends. Accordingly, it becomes imperative to understand the emerging research structure within the AFSC. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature related to the AFSC and proposes a conceptual framework covering the antecedents and outcomes of structural associations among the AFSC factors. This study employs a bibliometric analysis methodology, encompassing 303 papers retrieved from the Scopus database between 1997 and 2021. A rigorous inclusion and exclusion process was carried out by using articles whose titles contained only 'agri-food' and 'supply chain' terms. This systematic approach ensured a feasible dataset for analysis. Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer were used for an in-depth analysis of prolific authors, article trends, institutions, countries, influential articles, and source titles within the domain of AFSC. Co-occurrence analysis was conducted to identify seven core research themes, namely: agri-food supply chain system; agri-food supply chain management; agri-food supply chain industry; agri-food supply chain risk factors; agri-food supply chain information; agri-food supply chain advancement; agri-food supply chain risk management; This study makes a significant contribution by constructing a comprehensive conceptual framework that logically organizes these thematic factors, aligning future research with emerging trends. Additionally, this research highlights the imperative of global collaboration across diverse regions and fields within AFSC to build more resilient supply chains capable of adapting to evolving conditions. • Scopus-based analysis reveals strengths in the Agri-food Supply Chain (AFSC) research landscape. • A novel framework organizes seven core themes for future AFSC research. • Identifies key trends, authors, and gaps in AFSC research. • Highlights the need for global collaboration for resilient AFSCs. • Proposes future AFSC research directions and unveiling potential impact.