Optimizing Agricultural Operations: E-Commerce, Supply Chains, and Rural Program Efficiency in the Philippine Agri-Food Sector
Explore innovative research ideas on enhancing agricultural operations through e-commerce and efficient supply chains in the Philippine agri-food sector. Discover strategies to improve agricultural efficiency and support rural programs.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
5/28/20253 min read
In the Philippine agri-food sector, operations management plays a pivotal role in ensuring that supply chains—from farm production to consumer access—are efficient, equitable, and resilient. While digital platforms, logistics upgrades, and government initiatives like Kadiwa and farm-to-market roads have aimed to modernize agri-based operations, their actual impact remains uneven across rural communities. Key operational bottlenecks—such as logistical delays, communication gaps, and supply mismatches—still plague farming households and cooperatives. To develop scalable and inclusive solutions, research must evaluate how operational systems interact with farmer characteristics, digital adoption, infrastructure, and institutional design. This article identifies urgent research gaps that must be addressed to improve agricultural operations across production, distribution, and market participation levels.
Who Can Use These Topics
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS in Business Administration major in Operations Management
BS in Agribusiness Management
BS in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
BS in Supply Chain Management
BS in Industrial Engineering
BS in Logistics and Transportation
Senior High School Strands:
Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM)
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
Despite reforms and technological advances, many operational inefficiencies remain unresolved in Philippine agri-food systems. Recent studies offer starting points but also leave critical questions unanswered:
Farmer traits and their impact on operational performance in e-commerce: Although Ma et al. (2024) showed e-commerce improves rural incomes, they emphasized the need to study how age, gender, and digital readiness affect farmers' ability to manage orders, logistics, and inventory through online platforms.
Unknown applicability of farmer–buyer coordination models across markets: Benitez‐Altuna et al. (2024) found that governance relationships improve sustainability in Chilean vegetable supply chains. However, these relational models have not yet been tested in different operational structures like those in the Philippines.
Missing evaluation of participatory governance in infrastructure planning: Teves (2025) warned that elite capture undermines the efficiency and fairness of farm-to-market roads. Yet, no operational research has analyzed how participatory project management could streamline implementation and improve equitable distribution.
Lack of marketing operations data for government-run retail models: While Umali et al. (2023) evaluated Kadiwa store accessibility, they suggested that future studies should investigate how digital marketing operations and promotions could enhance engagement and reduce inventory mismatch in underserved barangays.
Inadequate analysis of financial operations for livestock resilience: Duong et al. (2024) identified livestock sale delays as a factor in food insecurity but did not explore how tailored financial operations (e.g., just-in-time credit or livestock insurance) could optimize resource flow and minimize operational shocks.
No digital logistics framework for archipelagic agri-distribution: Andriani et al. (2025) pointed to long lead times and poor inventory flow across islands but offered no tested logistics model suited to multi-island agricultural distribution in the Philippines.
Limited insight into relationship management and supplier performance: Gao et al. (2025) highlighted the impact of strong buyer-farmer relationships in China, but research has yet to determine whether similar trust-based operations can be institutionalized in less formalized Philippine supply chains.
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Andriani, D. N., Floresca, A. L. B., Tumamao, M. J. G., Wibawa, R. P., Daroin, A. D., & Kusuma Dewi, F. W. (2025). Analysis of Performance of Staple Food Supply Chain in Indonesia and the Philippines. SAR Journal (2619-9955), 8(1).
Benitez‐Altuna, F., Materia, V. C., Bijman, J., Gaitán‐Cremaschi, D., & Trienekens, J. (2024). Farmer–buyer relationships and sustainable agricultural practices in the food supply chain: The case of vegetables in Chile. Agribusiness, 40(1), 3-30.
Duong, M. P. T., Sari, N. P. W. P., Mazenda, A., Nguyen, M. H., & Vuong, Q. H. (2024). Improving the market for household livestock production to alleviate food insecurity in the Philippines. Animal Production Science, 64(7).
Gao, Y., Zong, Y., Qian, C., Bai, L., & Ni, J. (2025). Relationship quality in the vertical collaboration of vegetable farmers: evidence from the North China Plain. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 9, 1567495.
Ma, W., Sonobe, T., & Gong, B. (2024). Linking farmers to markets: Barriers, solutions, and policy options. Economic Analysis and Policy, 82, 1102-1112.
Teves, M. J. T. E. G. (2025). Assessing a Japanese-Funded Farm-to-Market Road Project in Agdangan, Quezon: Exacerbating Divides and Deepening Inequalities. Philippine Political Science Journal, 45(3), 272-299.
Umali, Anne & Baranda, Bryan & Dacanay, Michael & Solon, Nero & Diaz, John & Vallespin, Mc Rollyn. (2023). Evaluating Kadiwa Stores: Awareness, Accessibility, and Consumer Preferences in Philippine Communities. 10.13140/RG.2.2.26945.12647.