Enhancing agricultural sustainability through resource allocation strategies to achieve sustainable development goals

Guide(s)

Saranga, Haritha

Department

Production and Operations Management

Area

Production and Operations Management

University

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

Place

Bangalore

Publication Date

3-31-2025

Year Awarded

March 2025

Year Completed

March 2025

Year Registered

June 2019

Abstract

Advances in agriculture, influenced by technology and global shifts, emphasize the critical need for effective resource management. The efficient allocation of agricultural resources minimizes environmental degradation, optimizes supply chains, and supports sustainability. Sustainable practices in farming are urgent due to population growth, aiding climate adaptability, preserving ecosystems, ensuring fair resource access among stakeholders, empowering smallholder farmers, and fostering community development. This pursuit aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing agriculture’s pivotal role in equitable resource access, responsible production, climate action, and land conservation. Although the SDGs emphasize global cooperation for a fairer and sustainable future, particularly in agriculture, their realization in developing nations like India poses complex challenges, necessitating the promotion of sustainable farming practices through efficient resource allocation. Focused research in this context by Operations Management (OM) scholars has a significant role to play in the identification of effective sharing economy models and optimized supply chains. So that various stakeholders involved can navigate climate risks and support ecosystem preservation through judicious resource allocation to achieve different SDGs. Thus, in this dissertation, I delve into different resource allocation strategies within the domain of OM to foster sustainable agricultural practices and align with environmental and social SDGs. I primarily address the issue of agricultural crop residue burning in Northwestern states of India (Punjab and Haryana) and underscore the significance of large-scale community-level intervention among farming communities within these regions. The focus of this intervention is to raise awareness about equipment-sharing to encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that enhance triple-bottom-line outcomes. Additionally, using a spatial interpolation technique, I analyze this intervention’s spillover effect on air quality in the neighbouring national capital (Delhi). Furthermore, I also analyze how this change in air quality affects the health-related expenditure of the households in Delhi. Through these studies, I address the "doing good" the approach of creating value for the community by enhancing the living standards of the rural and urban population and improving ecological sustainability that aligns with environmental SDGs. In a related study, I analytically examine how differential accessibility to financial credit influences an Agri-Fresh produce supply chain to create a more equitable resource allocation system. In this study, I address the "doing well" approach of creating value for the firms by focusing on productivity and reducing inequalities that align with social SDGs. This comprehensive exploration enhances the sustainable operations management field by tackling urgent agricultural issues, offering pivotal strategies and insights for a sustainable and fair agrarian future.

Pagination

xii, 179p.

Copyright

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

Document Type

Dissertation

DAC Chairperson

Saranga, Haritha

DAC Members

Hazra, Jishnu; Jonnalagedda, Sreelata

Type of Degree

Ph.D.

Relation

DIS-IIMB-FPM-P25-14

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