Exploring the role of LCA in advancing sustainable agri-food value chains: A systematic review using bibliometric and content analyses

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to explore the scientific literature development of life cycle assessment (LCA) in agri-food value chain analysis, provide a detailed LCA approach implementation at various stages of value chain networks, and propose future research directions and strategies for advancing sustainable agri-food value chains. We used the systematic literature review method and the PRISMA review reporting system with selected scientific research papers from the Scopus database via VosViewer, R-Biblioshiny, and Excel sheet software. Bibliometric analysis revealed that the LCA in the agri-food value chain increased with the three major clusters, and some crucial topics emerged, including waste valorization, a circular economy, and sustainability. Content analysis revealed that the most commonly evaluated commodity was fruit and vegetables, the studies focused on the production stage, and mostly used the economic LCA method. Although the LCA approach has been used to assess agri-food value chains, the simultaneous integration of economic, social, and environmental LCAs is rarely utilized to comprehensively evaluate sustainable agri-food value chains, particularly in the whole-chain system. We found that the method for assessing the agri-food value chain has experienced several developments and adjustments regarding the type of variables utilized, including the economic dimension, social, and environmental LCA. The development of studies refines the method for advancing sustainable agri-food value chain practices in the chain from production-to-consumer. This study provides benefits for strengthening the application of LCA to foster a more sustainable agri-food value chain.

Keywords

value chain / sustainable value chain / life cycle assessment / agri-food value chain

References

[1] Wójcik-Gront E (2020) Analysis of sources and trends in agricultural GHG emissions from annex I countries. Atmosphere (Basel) 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11040392

[2] Akhter S, Sen R, Alam MK, et al. (2025) Climate-smart management practices for crop production in Bangladesh, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation to Improve Food Security in South Asia, Tuber Research Center, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh, CRC Press LLC, 175-186. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781032628691-11

[3] Tubiello FN (2018) Greenhouse gas emissions due to agriculture, Encyclopedia of Food Security and Sustainability, Statistics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, Elsevier, 196-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.21996-3

[4] Mishra R, Singh R, Govindan K (2023) Net-zero economy research in the field of supply chain management: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Int J Logist Manag 34: 1352-1397. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-01-2022-0016

[5] Chen G, Lim MK, Yeo WM, et al. (2024) Net zero vs. carbon neutrality: Supply chain management challenges and future research agenda. Int J Logist-Res App 29: 35-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2024.2359058

[6] Binet F, Saunier F, Margni M (2021) Assessing the mitigation potential of environmental impacts from circular economy strategies on an industrial sector and its Value Chain: A case study on the steel value chain in Quebec. Front Sustain 2: 738890. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2021.738890

[7] Li S, Kallas Z (2021) Meta-analysis of consumers’ willingness to pay for sustainable food products. Appetite 163: 105239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2021.105239

[8] Golnaz Rezai (2012) Consumers’ awareness and consumption intention towards green foods. Afr J Bus Manag 6: 4496-4503. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJBM11.1414

[9] Suprehatin S, Wijaya A, Aji JMM, et al. (2026) Investigating rice value chain research: A science mapping. AIMS Agric Food 11: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3934/agrfood.2026001

[10] Mota-Gutierrez J, Sparacino A, Merlino VM, et al. (2024) Socio-demographic and cross-country differences in attention to sustainable certifications and changes in food consumption. npj Sci Food 8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-024-00274-x

[11] Yildirim S, Yildirim DÇ, Gedikli A (2016) Sustainable consumption trends in the world in the context of green economy and sustainability, Handbook of Research on Green Economic Development Initiatives and Strategies, IGI Global, 65-84. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-0440-5.ch004

[12] Nicolas C, Geldres-Weiss VV (2023) Business and management research trends of sustainability assessment in the food sector. Brit Food J 125: 220-236. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2022-0528

[13] Neven D(2014) Developing sustainable food value chains: Guiding principles, Rome, FAO.

[14] Silvestri C, Silvestri L, Piccarozzi M, et al. (2024) Toward a framework for selecting indicators of measuring sustainability and circular economy in the agri-food sector: A systematic literature review. Int J Life Cycle Ass 29: 1446-1484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-022-02032-1

[15] Fearne A, Martinez MG, Dent B (2012) Dimensions of sustainable value chains: implications for value chain analysis. Supply Chain Manag 17: 575-581. https://doi.org/10.1108/13598541211269193

[16] Agnusdei GP, Coluccia B (2022) Sustainable agrifood supply chains: Bibliometric, network and content analyses. Sci Total Environ 824: 153704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153704

[17] Muflikh YN, Smith C, Aziz AA (2021) A systematic review of the contribution of system dynamics to value chain analysis in agricultural development. Agr Syst 189: 103044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103044

[18] UNEP (2011) Towards a life cycle sustainability assessment, UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative.

[19] Jaroenkietkajorn U, Gheewala SH, Mungkung R, et al. (2024) Challenges and opportunities of bio-circular-green economy for agriculture. Circ Econ Sustain 4: 1729-1750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-024-00355-9

[20] Pati D, Lorusso LN (2018) How to write a systematic review of the literature. HERD-Health Env Res 11: 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586717747384

[21] Bigby M(2014) Understanding and evaluating systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Indian J Dermatol 59: 134-139. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.127671

[22] Barn B, Barat S, Clark T(2017) Conducting systematic literature reviews and systematic mapping studies. ACM Int Conf Proceeding Ser 212-213. https://doi.org/10.1145/3021460.3021489

[23] Fisch C, Block J (2018) Six tips for your (systematic) literature review in business and management research. Manag Rev Q 68: 103-106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-018-0142-x

[24] Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, et al. (2021) The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 372: n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

[25] Sarfo I, Qiao J, Effah NAA, et al. (2024) Advances in global land use systems development and sustainability: A bibliometric analysis. Acta Sci Pol-Form C 23: 39-65. https://doi.org/10.15576/ASP.FC/187717

[26] Belur J, Tompson L, Thornton A, et al. (2021) Interrater reliability in systematic review methodology: Exploring variation in coder cecision-making. Sociol Method Res 50: 837-865. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124118799372

[27] Moher D, Shamseer L, Clarke M, et al. (2015) Preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Syst Rev 4: 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-4-1

[28] Liberati A, Altman DG, Tetzlaff J, et al. (2009) The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: Explanation and elaboration. PLoS Med 6. https://doi.org/10.2427/5768

[29] Abecassis J, Cuq B, Escudier JL, et al. (2018) Food chains; the cradle for scientific ideas and the target for technological innovations. Innov Food Sci Emerg 46: 7-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2017.09.011

[30] Achillas C (2020) Agricultural chains sustainability within the concept of circular economy, Bio-economy and Agri-production: Concepts and evidence, Department of Supply Chain Management, International Hellenic University, Katerini, Greece, Elsevier, 31-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819774-5.00002-3

[31] Gorton M, Hubbarda C, Fertő I (2013) International comparison of product supply chains in the agri-food sector: determinants of their competitiveness and performance on EU and international markets, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).

[32] Cossu D, Zanchi L, Maranghi S, et al. (2024) Ecolabelling for improving sustainability of agri-food supply chain: An experimental implementation of the Made Green in Italy scheme on the hard sheep milk cheese. Clean Environ Syst 12: 100153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cesys.2023.100153

[33] Ahmad H, Chhipi-Shrestha G, Hewage K,et al. (2024) Life cycle thinking and its application to the built environment, Materials Selection for Sustainability in the Built Environment, The University of British Columbia, School of Engineering, Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada, Elsevier, 17-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95122-7.00002-2

[34] Geist H, Balle F (2026) Beyond life cycle thinking: A perspective. Ambio 55: 767-774. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02282-x

[35] Rivela B, Kuczenski B, Sucozhañay D (2022) Life cycle sustainability assessment-based tools, Assessing Progress Towards Sustainability: Frameworks, Tools and Case Studies, Inviable Life Cycle Thinking, Madrid, Spain, Elsevier, 93-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85851-9.00018-3

[36] Caffrey KR, Veal MW (2013) Conducting an agricultural life cycle assessment: Challenges and perspectives. Sci World J 2013: 472431. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/472431

[37] Fan J, Liu C, Xie J, et al. (2022) Life cycle assessment on agricultural production: A mini review on methodology, application, and challenges. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19: 9817. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169817

[38] Douziech M, Bauer C, Bystricky M, et al. (2025) Prospective LCA to support the agri-food sector’s transition towards sustainability-89th LCA discussion forum conference report. Int J Life Cycle Ass 30: 2794-2798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-025-02556-2

[39] Jegen M (2024) Life cycle assessment: from industry to policy to politics. Int J Life Cycle Ass 29: 597-606. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02273-8

[40] European Parliament Council of the European Union(2023) Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and r. 2023: 206-247.

[41] van Eck NJ, Waltman L (2014) Visualizing bibliometric networks, Measuring Scholarly Impact, Springer, 285-320. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10377-8_13

[42] Sala S, Anton A, McLaren SJ, et al. (2017) In quest of reducing the environmental impacts of food production and consumption. J Clean Prod 140: 387-398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.09.054

[43] Aldaco R, Hoehn D, Laso J, et al. (2020) Food waste management during the COVID-19 outbreak: A holistic climate, economic and nutritional approach. Sci Total Environ 742: 140524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140524

[44] Laso J, Margallo M, Fullana P, et al. (2017) Aiding eco-labelling process and its implementation: Environmental impact assessment methodology to define product category rules for canned anchovies. MethodsX 4: 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2017.03.001

[45] Laso J, Margallo M, Serrano M, et al. (2018) Introducing the green protein footprint method as an understandable measure of the environmental cost of anchovy consumption. Sci Total Environ 621: 40-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.148

[46] Fernández-Ríos A, Butnar I, Margallo M, et al. (2023) Carbon accounting of negative emissions technologies integrated in the life cycle of spirulina supplements. Sci Total Environ 890. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164362

[47] Hoehn D, Margallo M, Laso J, et al. (2021) Water footprint assessment of food loss and waste management strategies in spanish regions. Sustainability 13: 7538. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147538

[48] Maffia A, Palese AM, Pergola M, et al. (2022) The olive-oil chain of Salerno Province (Southern Italy): A life cycle sustainability framework. Horticulturae 8: 1054. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8111054

[49] Hingsamer M, Kulmer V, de Roode M, et al. (2022) Environmental and socio-economic impacts of new plant breeding technologies: A case study of root chicory for inulin production. Front Genome Edit 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgeed.2022.919392

[50] Barrera-Ramírez J, Prado V, Solheim H (2019) Life cycle assessment and socioeconomic evaluation of the illicit crop substitution policy in Colombia. J Ind Ecol 23: 1237-1252. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12917

[51] Butler JRA, Gunn R, Berry HL, et al. (2013) A Value Chain Analysis of ghost nets in the Arafura Sea: Identifying trans-boundary stakeholders, intervention points and livelihood trade-offs. J Environ Manage 123: 14-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.03.008

[52] Mura R, Vicentini F, Botti LM, et al. (2024) Achieving the circular economy through environmental policies: Packaging strategies for more sustainable business models in the wine industry. Bus Strateg Environ 33: 1497-1514. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3556

[53] Gosalvitr P, Cuéllar-Franca RM, Smith R, et al. (2023) An environmental and economic sustainability assessment of coffee production in the UK. Chem Eng J 465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.142793

[54] Dolman MA, Sonneveld MPW, Mollenhorst H, et al. (2014) Benchmarking the economic, environmental and societal performance of Dutch dairy farms aiming at internal recycling of nutrients. J Clean Prod 73: 245-252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.02.043

[55] Stone J, Garcia-Garcia G, Rahimifard S (2020) Selection of sustainable food waste valorisation routes: A case study with barley field residue. Waste Biomass Valori 11: 5733-5748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-019-00816-5

[56] Wei J, Cui J, Xu Y, et al. (2022) Social life cycle assessment of major staple grain crops in China. Agriculture 12: 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040535

[57] Mulyasari G, Djarot IN, Sasongko NA, et al. (2023) Social-life cycle assessment of oil palm plantation smallholders in Bengkulu province, Indonesia. Heliyon 9: e19123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19123

[58] Møller H, Rydhmer L, Christensen T, et al. (2024) Social life cycle assessment in current and future Norwegian livestock production. Int J Life Cycle Ass 30: 1134-1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-024-02345-3

[59] Luna Ostos LM, Roche L, Coroama V, et al. (2024) Social life cycle assessment in the chocolate industry: A Colombian case study with Luker Chocolate. Int J Life Cycle Ass 29: 929-951. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02261-y

[60] D’Eusanio M, Tragnone BM, Petti L (2022) From Social Accountability 8000 (SA8000) to Social Organisational Life Cycle Assessment (SO-LCA): An evaluation of the working conditions of an Italian wine-producing supply chain. Sustainability 14: 8833. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148833

[61] Pérez Neira D, Soler Montiel M, Delgado Cabeza M, et al. (2018) Energy use and carbon footprint of the tomato production in heated multi-tunnel greenhouses in Almeria within an exporting agri-food system context. Sci Total Environ 628-629: 1627-1636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.127

[62] Ferguson Aikins E, Ramanathan U (2020) Key factors of carbon footprint in the UK food supply chains: a new perspective of life cycle assessment. Int J Oper Prod Man 40: 945-970. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-06-2019-0478

[63] Gosalvitr P, Cuéllar-Franca RM, Smith R, et al. (2024) Environmental and economic sustainability assessment of the production and consumption of different types of coffee in the UK. Sustain Prod Consump 49: 144-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.06.004

[64] Carvalho LS, Willers CD, Soares BB, et al. (2022) Environmental life cycle assessment of cow milk in a conventional semi-intensive Brazilian production system. Environ Sci Pollut R 29: 21259-21274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17317-5

[65] Danevad D, Sapounas A, Hillman K, et al. (2023) Life cycle assessment of greenhouse tomatoes for the Swedish market. J Clean Prod 431: 139819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139819

[66] Blanc S, Accastello C, Girgenti V, et al. (2018) Innovative strategies for the raspberry supply chain: An environmental and economic assessment. Qual-Access Success 19: 139-142.

[67] Mishra K, Green A, Burkard J, et al. (2024) Valorization of cocoa pod side streams improves nutritional and sustainability aspects of chocolate. Nat Food 5: 423-432. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-00967-2

[68] Sieverding H, Kebreab E, Johnson JMF, et al. (2020) A life cycle analysis (LCA) primer for the agricultural community. Agron J 112: 3788-3807. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20279

[69] García-Muiña F, Medina-Salgado MS, González-Sánchez R, et al. (2022) Social organizational life cycle assessment (SO-LCA) and organization 4.0: an easy-to-implement method. MethodsX 9: 101692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2022.101692

[70] Paolotti L, Martino G, Marchini A, et al. (2017) Economic and environmental assessment of agro-energy wood biomass supply chains. Biomass Bioenerg 97: 172-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.12.020

[71] Hanssen OJ, Vold M, Schakenda V, et al. (2017) Environmental profile, packaging intensity and food waste generation for three types of dinner meals. J Clean Prod 142: 395-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.012

[72] UNEP (2021) Methodological sheets for subcategories in social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) 2021. 1-150.

[73] Martínez-Blanco J, Lehmann A, Chang YJ, et al. (2015) Social organizational LCA (SOLCA)-A new approach for implementing social LCA. Int J Life Cycle Ass 20: 1586-1599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0960-1

[74] Benoît-Norris C, Vickery-Niederman G, Valdivia S, et al. (2011) Introducing the UNEP/SETAC methodological sheets for subcategories of social LCA. Int J Life Cycle Ass 16: 682-690. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-011-0301-y

[75] Ghinea C, Leahu A (2023) Life cycle assessment of sheep cheese production in a small dairy factory from Romanian rural area. Environ Sci Pollut R 30: 6986-7004. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22644-2

[76] Avadí A (2023) Environmental assessment of the Ecuadorian cocoa value chain with statistics-based LCA. Int J Life Cycle Ass 28: 1495-1515. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02142-4

[77] Usva K, Bhattarai I, Abdulkareem M, et al. (2025) Life cycle sustainability assessment of an agricultural product in rural areas of Western Nepal-Case study of goat meat. Int J Life Cycle Ass 30: 3412-3428. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-025-02485-0

[78] Astrima AH, Lona NJ, Adnyana WA, et al. (2025) Peran Inovasi dan Teknologi dalam Manajemen Rantai Pasok Berkelanjutan pada Industri Agrifood: Tinjauan Literatur. J Agribisnis Indones 13: 258-291. https://doi.org/10.29244/jai.2025.13.2.258-291