Enhancing supply chain resilience in agro-food processing firms: investigating the mediating role of supply chain traceability on information technology capabilities in a developing country

Purpose This paper aims to explore the relationship between information technology capabilities (ITCs), supply chain traceability (SCT) and supply chain resilience (SCRES) and further probes the mediating role of SCT in agro-food processing firms. Design/methodology/approach Using a structured questionnaire survey, cross-sectional data collected from 128 firms in Uganda were analyzed by using SPSS version 27. Findings The study revealed that both ITCs and SCT are positively and significantly associated with SCRES. It was also established that SCT partially mediates in the relationship between ITC and SCRES. Furthermore, both ITCs and SCT account for 68.7% variance in SCRES. Originality/value Based on the extant literature, studies using information processing theoretical perspective to provide empirical understanding of ITCs and SCT as antecedents of SCRES in agro-food processing firms are scant. Moreover, shedding light on the mediating role of SCT as a mechanism through which ITCs facilitate SCRES is novel in the general SCRES literature, especially focusing on agro-food supply chains in developing country contexts.