According to WRAP (www.wrap.org.uk), approximately 10 million tonnes of food are annually wasted post farmgate in the UK, with 29% of this total being wasted in the supply chain, before reaching households. This study will address this problem by investigating alternatives to develop the self-organising capability of agricultural logistics and related procurement systems. The objective of the project is to develop a feasibility study on how food supply chains can respond in advance to the risks associated with unforeseen disruptions undermining the continuation of food distribution processes. The study will seek to enhance food security and supply chain resilience by specifying highly responsive procurement systems enabled by cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, Big Data analytics, and Blockchain platforms that provide food sector stakeholders with timely and reliable access to information on food provenance and quality across the value chain. The project will involve two methodological approaches that entail active participation of key stakeholders from the industry and scientific community: (1.) Delphi study and (2.) Focus group.

1. Project APROV
Augmented Procurement Visibility
Developing the self-organising capability of
agricultural procurement systems

2. Name Organisation
Luciano Batista University of Northampton
Tom Kirkham STFC Hartree Centre
Ram Ramanathan University of Bedfordshire
Brian Matthews STFC Rutherford Appleton Lab
Wantao Yu University of Roehampton
John Bassett IFST - Institute of Food Science & Technology
Pascale Martin Agronomex Limited
Ximena Schmidt University of Manchester
Project APROV - Augmented Procurement Visibility
Developing the self-organising capability of agricultural
procurement systems
Research team

3. Project APROV
Relevance: Roughly 1/3 of the food produced in the world
for human consumption every year (±1.3 billion tonnes) is
lost or wasted.
UK = 236 Kg per person, per year
EU = 173 kg per person, per year
Food supply problems in the UK are responsible for
approximately 3 million tonnes of food waste every year
before they reach the consumption market (WRAP*)
* Estimates of Food Surplus and Waste Arising in the UK, http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Estimates_%20in_the_UK_Jan17.pdf

4. Project APROV
Challenge: Minimise fresh food waste by ensuring that more
food reaches the market.
Solution (project aim): To develop a feasibility study on how
food supply chains can respond in advance to the risks
associated with unforeseen disruptions undermining the
continuation of food distribution processes.
The study will seek to enhance food security and supply chain resilience by specifying highly
responsive procurement systems enabled by cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, Big Data
analytics, and Blockchain platforms that provide food sector stakeholders with timely and
reliable access to information on food provenance and quality across the value chain.

5. How can we develop supply chains with such capability?
• The supply chain actors need to provide real-time
information on the produce quality, availability and
location
• Industry players need real-time access to, and trust in,
this information
• This dynamic supply-demand matching can be possible
through the integration of the following technologies:
IoT + Big Data analytics + Blockchain
Project APROV

6. IoT / GPS integration
FOG
Big Data
This Photo by Unknown Author is
licensed under CC BY-ND
BLOCKCHAIN
Agronomex
Supermarket Food processor Charity & NGOs
Market
STFC + Roehampton
STFC + CCEG
STFC + Roehampton
+ Bedfordshire
Project APROV
Scientific perspectives:
Complex Adaptive Systems (Northampton)
LCA perspectives (Manchester +
Bedfordshire)
Luciano
Pascale
Tom
Brian Wantao
FareShare
Ram
Wantao
Luciano
Ram
Ximena
IFST John Bassett
Brian

7. 1. Literature review (Technological availability; business models)
2. Focus group (stakeholder engagement to define and validate relevant
metrics)
3. Technical specifications TRL 2 (Integration analysis; Platform
specification)
4. Workshop (validation of metrics; feasibility scenarios; technology
adoption strategies)
5. Report write up
Methodology 6-month feasibility study
Project APROV

8. Deliverables:
• State-of-the-art report
 Feasibility verdict
 Pathway to further developments
⁻ Strategy for empirical application of the model
⁻ Identification of funding sources
• Specification of a research grant proposal for a larger project
• Academic paper (Open Access)
Project APROV

9. Impact:
• Food waste reduction
• Improved food security and safety
• Environmental and social benefits
• Improved supply chain and procurement visibility /
transparency
• Improved logistics
• Improved government auditing
Project APROV

10. Project APROV
Augmented Procurement Visibility
Developing the self-organising capability of
agricultural procurement systems
For further information, contact:
Dr Luciano Batista
University of Northampton
Faculty of Business and Law
Luciano.Batista@northampton.ac.uk
+44 (0)1604 893685