Reduction Strategies for Food Loss and Waste in South African Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review

Food loss and waste are significant issues in South African supply chains, impacting agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. A comprehensive search strategy was employed using multiple databases including Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Studies were screened based on predefined inclusion criteria for quality assessment. The review identified a trend towards the implementation of digital tracking systems to reduce food loss by up to 20% in perishable goods supply chains. Digital technologies such as blockchain and IoT devices are emerging as effective tools for managing supply chain inefficiencies, particularly in reducing waste from harvest to retail stages. Investment in digital infrastructure should be prioritised alongside education campaigns targeting farmers and retailers on best practices for minimising food waste. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.