Global agriculture depends on supply chains that connect farms to markets, yet these systems are increasingly exposed to risk. Fluctuations in global markets create volatility that affects farmers and exporters. Supply chains are vulnerable to disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, pandemics, and natural disasters. Transportation and storage infrastructure often struggle to keep pace with demand. Complex regulatory environments can slow trade, and there is growing pressure to ensure sustainability at every stage of the supply chain.

What is the challenge in agrifood trade and supply chains?

The coming decades will bring new pressures and complexity to agricultural trade and supply chains, including:

• Managing increasing global market volatility and trade shocks
• Building resilience to disruptions caused by climate events, biosecurity risks, and geopolitical instability
• Upgrading logistics and infrastructure to handle larger, more complex supply networks
• Navigating regulatory barriers while maintaining compliance and competitiveness
• Embedding sustainability into supply chains to meet environmental and consumer expectations
• Harnessing digital technologies to track, verify, and optimise supply chain flows in real time
• Developing risk management frameworks to protect farmers, businesses, and communities from disruption

How can we help solve these trade challenges?

We are addressing these challenges through research, education, and collaboration to improve the efficiency and resilience of agrifood supply chains.

Our research focuses on:

• Using advanced analytics to optimise supply chain operations
• Evaluating the impact of trade policies on agriculture and developing strategies for reform
• Enhancing the resilience of supply chains to economic, political, and environmental disruptions
• Developing sustainability metrics and practices to strengthen supply chain integrity
• Leveraging digital technologies to transform supply chain management and improve transparency

ANU offers world-leading expertise and facilities to support this work, including supply chain laboratories for testing and optimisation, trade policy centres for regulatory analysis, digital innovation hubs for developing new tools, and sustainability research platforms. We also collaborate with national and international partners to ensure our solutions are practical, scalable, and globally relevant.

By connecting research excellence with industry and government priorities, AFII at ANU is helping Australia build supply chains that are more efficient, more resilient, and better prepared for the future of global agriculture.

Partner with us to future-proof your operations. Whether you're seeking strategic insights, technical solutions, or collaborative innovation, we’re here to help you lead in a climate-smart agricultural future.