‘Multi-SWOT’ Multi-Stakeholder-Based Sustainability Assessment Methodology: Applied to Improve Slovenian Legume-Based Agri-Food Chains

Abstract

Assessing the sustainability of agri-food chains is challenging for several reasons. It should account for the impacts on environmental, social, and economic wellbeing simultaneously, considering both the individual links in the chain and the chain as a whole. The primary aim of this study is to assess the conditions for meeting the sustainability criteria of a legume-based agri-food chain in Slovenia. Therefore, a quantitative sustainability assessment methodology was developed, using a multi-stakeholder approach, which upgraded the traditional SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Our approach, called ‘Multi-SWOT’, aggregates the SWOT table inputs identified by stakeholders into factors, themes and focus areas, according to their importance for the agri-food chain, for each sustainability pillar, and links in the chain. By accounting for the relative number of incentives (beneficial factors) and barriers (constraint factors) we identified those factors that enhance the sustainability of the Slovenian legume-based agri-food chain and the factors jeopardising it. The incorporation of multi-stakeholder perspectives presents an innovative approach that adds value to a standard SWOT analysis. The study serves as a guide to help decision-makers better understand the multidimensionality of sustainability and identify effective activities to support and strengthen the current legume agri-food chain in Slovenia.

1. Introduction

The effects of globalization and increasing public demand for food have led to extensive growth in plant and animal production [1]. Producers’ choices of what to grow and consumers’ choices of what to consume affect ecosystem functions locally and globally. More sustainable practices in agricultural production and feed and food consumption are needed to ensure nutritious and healthy food while maintaining the long-term productivity of farmland [2].

What constitutes ‘sustainability’ remains an open concept with a myriad of interpretations. Fundamentally, sustainability is defined by interacting functions within and across ‘three pillars’: environmental, economic, and social [3]. Acquaye et al. [4] state that the main focus of sustainability is on the environmental pillar, while the economic and social pillars are practically ignored. Boström [5] identifies the social pillar as a highly neglected aspect of sustainability. To achieve ‘true sustainability’, the key function of the three pillars of sustainability should be met in parallel and harmonized to drive the sustainability of an agri-food chain [3].

The transition towards the implementation of sustainability principles is a central goal in most global and national policies, NGOs, and research institutions [6]. The agri-food chain is one of the most regulated sectors for food in the EU, comprising more than 15 million operators and 47 million individuals involved across the whole agri-food chain [7]. Policymakers and market regulators need to consider the complex interactions between all links of the agri-food chain [8] and should not narrow their activity to only selected functions or links. Developing an effective agri-food sector sustainability strategy, therefore, requires assessing and managing system components and links and acknowledging and resolving multiple sustainability perspectives; thus, it is especially challenging [9].

In the agri-food chain, most of the problems are sector-interdependent. Direct and indirect dependencies of agri-food links are driven by a dynamic interplay between supply—and processing—capacities and consumers’ demands [10]. Human diets containing fewer animal products and more plant-based food will reduce the pressure of the food system on the environment [11,12], as well as on the social and economic aspects [13]. Solutions that lead to increased sustainability have to be introduced to all links that are regulated by different economic sectors (e.g., transportation, food processing, market) and also by consumers. It has been scientifically proven that consumers can improve sustainability by changing their dietary habits, i.e., by partially substituting animal proteins with plant-based proteins [14]. Such change in consumption would require adjustments throughout the entire agri-food chain in order to deliver the goods needed and to optimise uptake.

Legumes can play a key role in addressing sustainability challenges through their multiple impacts on several value chain actors and links. Legumes provide proteins and fibre, and they are a significant source of vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, folate, and magnesium, as well as non-nutritional provisions [15,16]. From an agronomic production point of view, Preissel et al. [17] found that the amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied to cereal growing fields can be reduced by 23–31 kg/ha if the previous crop was a legume. Legumes are also used as a break crop in cereal-dominated crop production systems [18], aimed at reducing crop diseases and weeds and improving soil structure through increased soil organic matter content and fertility [17]. Legumes can also increase the availability of pollen and nectar as food resources for insects [19], enhancing the diversity and abundance of beneficial insect species (e.g., hoverflies, bees, bumblebees) that provide valuable ecosystem services, including pollination and biological pest control for crops. To sum up, legumes may help satisfy the increasing global protein demand [20] and have a positive impact on human and animal health [21] and the natural environment [11].

These positive features of legumes can be used to boost consumer uptake and awareness of legume-based products by improving awareness of synthetic nitrogen (N)-fertilizer-use avoidance, soil function enhancement, and greenhouse gas impact mitigation [14]. Such awareness can have a strong positive influence on market growth for legume-based products. In turn, when the provenance of the legumes used to generate these products is considered, such demand can be a critical driver in increasing legume production across Europe (where legume crops are cultivated on less than 2% of arable land [22]), overcoming the current shortage of a ‘domestically grown’ legume supply. Additionally, increased consumer awareness of legumes’ nutritional and health benefits is also helping in driving agri-food chain transformation and the generation of domestically grown legume-oriented markets.

An agri-food chain supports 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have become universal criteria for sustainability assessment and international development [23]. Given the characteristics of agri-food chains, these systems are recognized as being highly complex [24] and, consequently, difficult to manage. Most studies on agri-food chain sustainability assessment are predominantly focused on agriculture production [25,26], whereas some are trying to assess the sustainability of an entire agri-food chain [27,28]. Most of these studies are primarily sector-focused, aiming to improve individual links, not the agri-food chain as a whole, and/or their analysis does not assess all three pillars of sustainability. According to the third Key Thrust [29], sustainable agri-food chains should simultaneously optimize environmental effects, social wellbeing, and the economy. The structure and dynamics of the agri-food chain are continually shaped by different internal and external factors (environmental conditions, market properties, policy regulations, consumer demands, etc.) [30]. To assess the sustainability of the agri-food chain at a system level, a holistic approach to obtain the required knowledge for understanding the chain structure, external conditions, and internal processes is required. The required knowledge should be based on a multi-stakeholder approach [31] that integrates scientific and policy-based research methodologies. Finally, decisions regarding the required transitions to more sustainable food production and supply should be supported by information provided by a sustainability assessment of the entire agri-food chain.

This study primarily aims to assess the conditions for meeting the sustainability criteria of a legume-based agri-food chain (LAFC) in Slovenia. To archive this objective, a sustainability assessment methodology was developed, identifying the LAFC’s current beneficial (strengths and opportunities) and constraining factors (weaknesses and threats) through six aspects of sustainability (‘pressure on the environment‘, ‘innovation in technology and management‘, ‘knowledge and trustful information‘, ‘efficient resource reuse‘, ‘healthy environment and society‘, and ‘support to communities‘). By incorporating the insight of multi-stakeholder representatives, the study investigates how each actor in the LAFC perceives their role in the overall multi-dimensional sustainability of the LAFC, which main constraints need to be overcome, and benefits accrued to further enhance and improve the sustainability of the LAFC. The integration of stakeholder perspectives and sustainability multi-dimensions within the Multi-SWOT methodology represents a novel and innovative approach that upgrades the standard SWOT analysis. In addition, the Multi-SWOT approach allows for alternative strategies to be developed at the national as well as EU levels to improve the sustainability of LAFC.

2. Materials and Methods

The research presented in this manuscript is based on the SWOT analysis methodology. It is aimed at upgrading and developing the analysis through the integration of multi-stakeholders and the facilitation of a whole agri-food chain sustainability assessment by accounting for environmental, economic, and social aspects using LAFC as a model.

To develop a robust methodology that streamlines the process, a clear understanding of the scope and scale of the assessment is crucial [32]. Accordingly, the development of the sustainability assessment methodology presented was based on ‘the food system framework’, developed by the Institute of Food Science and Technology [33]. The general procedure proposed is presented in a workflow diagram (Figure 1) and comprises three steps. Firstly, the methodological procedure was set, where basic concepts of sustainability are defined, key characteristics of LAFC in Slovenia are presented, and the SWOT-based sustainability and multi-stakeholder approaches are introduced. Within this theoretical step, data collection and processing were performed. For that purpose, a workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia, was organized as part of the Horizon 2020 TRUE project (https://www.true-project.eu/, accessed on 12 January 2022). The data collected at the workshop were categorized into six focus areas representing sustainability’s key aspects (sustainability pillars and their intersections). Finally, the focus areas were applied to the sustainability assessment of the LAFC performed in the final step of the study.

A more detailed description of the methodology, data collection and processing, and sustainability assessment of the selected LFCA is presented in the following sections.

2.1. Methodological Framework

2.1.1. Defining Sustainability

There is no universally agreed-upon definition of sustainability. There are many different views on this concept and how it can be achieved. In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission [34] (p.15) defined sustainability as, ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ According to Waas et.al. [35] and Carter and Moir [36], sustainability consists of three interconnected pillars. Such a description of sustainability is often, but not always, presented in the form of a Venn diagram [3], in which intersecting circles represent the environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainability, showing the intersections of the pillars (bearability, viability, and equitability) and the overall sustainability at the central point of intersection (Figure 2).

The environmental pillar requires that we live within the means of our natural resources. To achieve true environmental sustainability, we need to ensure that we consume our natural resources, such as materials, energy fuels, land, water, etc., at a sustainable rate [37,38]. The economic pillar requires that a business or country uses its resources efficiently and responsibly so that it can operate sustainably to consistently produce an operational profit [38,39]. The social pillar represents the ability of society, or any social system, to persistently achieve good social wellbeing. Achieving social sustainability ensures that the social wellbeing of a country, an organization, or a community can be maintained in the long term [38,40].

In addition to the three pillars, their intersections are also described, providing new aspects of sustainability (Figure 2). The intersection between the environmental and economic pillars is called viability and represents strong environmental and economic development, but it does not consider social development [41,42]. The intersection between the social and economic pillars is called equitability and represents strong economic and social development, but it does not consider environmental development [41,42]. The intersection between the social and environmental pillars is called bearability and represents strong social and environmental development, but it excludes economic development [41,42]. Finally, the intersection between either the sustainability pillars or the viable, equitable, and bearable crossings defines overall sustainability [41].

A sustainable food system contributes to all three pillars of sustainability—environmental, economic, and social—in a balanced manner and requires the system to be ‘just’ (fair) [43]. In our case, sustainability is defined from an agri-food chain perspective as,

‘the full range of farms and firms and their successive coordinated activities that produce particular raw agricultural materials and transform them into particular food products that are sold to final consumers and disposed of after use, in a manner that is profitable throughout, has broad-based benefits for society, and does not permanently deplete natural resources‘ [44].

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2.1.2. Legume Agri-Food Chain in Slovenia

The LAFC definition in the study (Figure 3) was obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [45], which defines an agri-food chain as a set of five linked activities and capacities, also known as links, from production to consumption. The production link in the agri-food chain includes all activities leading to food, feed, and biomass production at the farm level; the acquiring of resources and inputs; land preparation; and sowing and management (tillage, agrichemical use, harvesting). The processing link in the agri-food chain includes all the activities related to the manufacturing and transformation of raw materials from the agricultural sector. The transport and distribution link represents all activities associated with the movement of goods from farm to industry and then to retailers (transportation from farm to market; farm to industry; industry to industry; industry to retailers; industry to distribution centres; and distribution centres to retailers). The markets and retailers link in the agri-food chain is all activities (storage and display, shelf life, commercialization activities/advertising) associated with the selling of food and feed until the point of sale. Finally, the consumers link represents individuals and organizations who access or purchase products for consumption.

The boundaries of the LAFC (Figure 3) in Slovenia are very permeable to the rest of the global agri-food system. The structure of Slovenian imports and exports of legumes shows that most goods are traded with EU countries, with the main trading partners being Italy, Austria, Germany, and Croatia [46]. The import of legumes in 2020 was about 21,060 metric tons (mt) (17,015 mt soybeans, 3379 mt beans, 364 mt peas, 302 mt lentils, and other legumes whose volumes were too low to be statistically measured), and the export was about 20,498 metric tons (comprising 18,542 mt soybeans, 1500 mt beans, 230 mt peas, 226 mt lentils, and, again, volumes of other legume species too low to be statistically measured) [47]. Arable land on which legumes are grown (small producers and hobby gardeners) accounts for only 0.23% of the total arable land in Slovenia and lags far behind other vegetables due to high levels of soybean import and the abolition of policy support for legume cultivation in 2017 [48].

The greatest legume production is found in the Pomurska and Podravska regions in the northeast and the Spodnjeposavska and Gorenjska regions in the central part of Slovenia. Of the nine main grain legumes (soybeans, beans, peanuts, chickpeas, cowpeas, peas, lentils, broad beans, and lupins), Slovenia produced mainly soybeans on 1640 ha, beans on 1054 ha, and peas on 470 ha in 2020, and the others (lentils, chickpeas, lupins, etc.) were too small to be statistically measured [47]. Slovenia produced a total of about 86,454 mt of grain legumes from 2010 to 2020, 43% of which were soybeans. However, it should be noted that the main market for soybean production in Slovenia is not for food but for feed production (i.e., for livestock). Where legume production for food is concerned (i.e., for human consumption), Slovenia ranks 16th among EU member countries for the production of common beans (Phaseolus spp.), which dominate in the Slovenian LAFC, as they have a strong heritage and food culture value, and production is from indigenous Slovenian varieties. Today, most bean production in Slovenia is based on local populations and varieties grown by small farmers and gardeners in a low-input production system.

2.1.3. SWOT-Based Sustainability Assessment

For this study, it was important to include stakeholders from across the value chain and a method that would be applicable. SWOT allows stakeholders to concentrate on the most important factors and align practices with sustainability concepts, considering sustainability dimensions and legume-based agri-food chains. As we know, agri-food chains are complex systems, and if we add sustainability, the complexity increases [9]. Béné et al. note that a variety of stakeholders play an important role in organizing food systems and making them more sustainable [49,50].

SWOT analysis represents system thinking and a comprehensive diagnosis of factors relating to new (legume-based) products, technology, industry, management, and planning [51]. The goal of SWOT is to support decisions by analysing and characterizing two dimensions of factors, internal and external, distributed in four areas: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Figure 4). The internal dimension describes the strengths and weaknesses of the LAFC (for example, field operations, processing infrastructure, marketing, etc.). The external dimension, on the other hand, describes the opportunities and threats to LAFC sustainability that arise from the external environment that the actor has no direct influence on, for example, changes in policy and market functioning [51,52]

Standard SWOT analysis also has certain deficiencies. The key issue is uncertainty regarding the relative importance of the factors identified in the analysis. The results of the SWOT analysis are often only a listing, or an incomplete qualitative examination, of internal and external factors that are often very general [53,54]. The issue may be resolved by the active involvement of several stakeholders, from producers to consumers of legumes, all representing the individual links in the LAFC; identifying the current positive/beneficial factors (strengths and opportunities); and the negative/constraining factors (weaknesses and threats) of the LAFC as a whole [55].

2.1.4. Multi-Stakeholder Approach

The word ‘stakeholder’ was first used in its current form in a 1963 memorandum from the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International Inc.) and defines a stakeholder as, ‘any group or individual who can influence or is affected by the purpose of the enterprise.’ Each group of stakeholders brings its unique perspective and contribution [51,56,57]. Agri-food chains face the problem of incomplete information exchange among the actors, have a lack of trust between the different groups or chain links, and are constantly influenced by factors to which they must adapt to ensure their survival in the chain [6,58]. Therefore, the success of the chain is highly dependent on the participation and contribution of other actors (stakeholders) such as governments, suppliers, NGOs, and communities [59,60,61]—as well as the stakeholders’ own dynamic capacity for adaptation.

The multi-stakeholder representatives involved in this study represent two competent groups that relate directly or indirectly to the Slovenian LAFC. The first group consists of the participants in the SWOT analysis, i.e., stakeholders representing five links in the LAFC, whereas the second group involves food sector decision-makers who participated in semi-structured interviews. The motivation for including both groups in the analysis is to provide an insight into the sustainability of the LAFC itself, as well as into the sustainability of the entire Slovenian (legume-based) food sector.

2.2. Data

Our selection strategy for the research was to select data providers/stakeholders from the content area of the TRUE project, i.e., legumes, and, at the same time, to select stakeholders who are representatives of all links in the chain at a country level, specifically, Slovenia. Data were gathered at a workshop held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on the 16th of September 2019 that comprised 37 Slovenian participants (21 females and 16 males). They were representatives of six different groups of LAFC stakeholders: producers (9 participants), processors (7 participants), transportation and distribution (6 participants), markets and retailers (5 participants), and consumers (6 participants), as well as decision-makers (4 participants) in the Slovenian agri-food sector.

Participant stakeholders worked in groups corresponding to the five links in the LAFC (production, processing, transportation and distribution, markets and retailers, and consumers). Each group was asked to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats factors of the respective links of the LAFC from the perspective of the three (environmental, economic, and social) pillars of sustainability. The participants were instructed to first think individually about the requested tasks and later formulate a list of factors agreed upon by the whole group. Each of the five groups was supported by a facilitator who helped the group understand their tasks, facilitated the exchange of ideas, and helped formulate the answers that best suited all group members. The level of agreement among stakeholders was high due to the discussion and group agreement. Each group of stakeholders repeated this for four content areas of the SWOT table (analysis) separately for each pillar of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social). Each group presented their results at the plenary part of the workshop to further discuss them with the participating decision-makers in the Slovenian food sector. Finally, a total of 203 factors at the level of three sustainability aspects of the entire LAFC were selected for further analysis.

To obtain the expertise needed to integrate the proposed 203 link-based factors with the value chain link level, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the group of decision-makers in the areas of policy and regulation, education and knowledge transfer, financial and business mechanisms, and public participation in the Slovenian food sector. The semi-structured interview used questions designed to initiate discussion, from which the required information was obtained.

2.3. The SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis matrix (Figure 4) was applied to five groups of stakeholders for each of the three sustainability pillars, as described in the previous section, and it provided qualitative data (factors) on the sustainability of the LAFC in Slovenia. An example of the selected factors for a social pillar from a consumer perspective is presented in Figure 5. The further analysis followed five key steps: (i) review of proposed factors; (ii) content classification of factors; (iii) creation of themes; (iv) identification of focus areas; and (v) summing up and grouping of the positive/beneficial and negative/constraining factors for the LAFC assessment. To reduce the potential bias of a single person performing the entire analysis, we used a triangulation strategy by engaging multiple analysts.

Firstly, each of the 203 selected factors was reviewed in terms of its (i) appropriate naming; (ii) similarities to other factors; (iii) accurate placement in the SWOT table; and (iv) assignment to the appropriate sustainability pillar. The review of the factors revealed certain inconsistencies in the naming of the factors and their similarities. In some cases, different terms were used to describe the same factor or factors with very similar meanings appeared. Therefore, the final number of factors was reduced from 203 to 139 factors. Before further analysis, all corrections were consulted and approved by the group facilitator.

The 139 reviewed factors were then placed in the spreadsheet (Figure 6) and coloured according to the proper SWOT quadrant (strengths—green, opportunities—blue, weaknesses—red, and threats—black). Additionally, the factors were labelled with the abbreviation of the pillar (environmental—En, economic—Ec, social—So) and the link in the LAFC to which they belong (production—Pd, processing—Pc, transport—Tr, market—Ma, consumer—Co). For example, ‘TrEc’ represents the factor reported by representatives of the transport link in the economic sustainability pillar. This spreadsheet represents the original dataset, which was the subject of further analysis.

In the next step, the factors were sorted according to each of the three sustainability pillars and by the link in the LAFC (Figure 7). The review of the factors classified by pillars revealed that in certain cases the working groups identified the same sustainability factors for different pillars. This led us to introduce additional classification categories that correspond to the pair-based intersections of the three main sustainability pillars (viable, equitable, and bearable; Figure 2). The factors were sorted in a spreadsheet vertically by link and horizontally by the three pillars and the three intersections of sustainability. If the working groups did not identify any particular factor, this is noted as ‘No identified factors’ (Figure 7).

A review of the spreadsheet revealed a very wide range of factors. In order to obtain a better overview and understanding of the factors assigned to each spreadsheet intersection, 24 themes were created to summarize the content of the 139 factors. For each sustainability pillar and their intersection separately, the identified factors from all the links of the LAFC were integrated into three to five themes, according to their meaning. For example, the themes that summarize all the defined social sustainability factors of the LAFC are ‘public procurement‘, ‘labelling‘, ‘awareness‘, and ‘promotion‘. The theme ‘awareness‘, includes 10 social sustainability factors (growing awareness and knowledge transfer, no proper labelling, etc.) (Figure 7).

The identified themes provide a better understanding of the meaning of the diverse set the factors. In addition, due to the very broad scope and definition of sustainability and its components, the introduced themes narrowed and specified the contextual aspect of the sustainability pillars and their intersections. The introduction of the themes was, therefore, necessary to better understand the results of the SWOT analysis of the LAFC. To obtain a common understanding of the themes in each sustainability pillar, we further introduced ‘focus areas’. The focus areas represent an integration of themes at the level of the pillars, and their intersections and are renamed accordingly. For example., the social pillar that included the themes of ‘public procurement‘; ‘labelling‘; ‘awareness‘, and ‘promotion‘ was renamed to the focus area of ‘knowledge and trustful information‘ (Figure 7). Focus areas are further represented in the Results and Discussion section of this manuscript.

In the final phase of data processing, all 139 factors tabulated according to the links in the LAFC and the focus areas (Figure 7) were divided into two groups: first, those representing strength and opportunity (beneficial) factors, and second, those including factors identifying weakness and threat (constraining) factors related to the sustainability of the LAFC (see Section 2.1.3). The factors were counted in each group for each link in the LAFC, the sum being visually represented by circles. The benefits are represented as green circles and the constraints as red circles, where the size of the circle indicates the relative number of factors, as indicated in the example in Figure 8. The larger the circle, the greater the number of factors included. The difference between beneficial and constraining factors lies in their qualities. The beneficial factors represent positive qualities that enhance sustainability (for example, less nitrogen fertilizer is used to grow legumes, which has a positive impact on the environment), while constraining factors represent negative aspects (for example, the high import of GMOs has a negative impact on the environment and endangers domestic production).

To assess whether a value chain link, a focus area, or the whole LAFC is enhancing or jeopardizing sustainability, we introduce the ‘ratio of benefit’ factors and ‘constraint’ factors, which are defined in the Results and Discussion section of this manuscript. As such, the approach aims to enable a comparison of the links and different aspects of sustainability and, therefore, provide an overview of the structure of the selected factors that have either positive (beneficial) or negative (constraint) impacts on LAFC’s sustainability performance.

3. Results and Discussion

The results of the sustainability assessment at the level of the LAFC are presented by the themes and focus areas identified and positioned in the conceptual structure of sustainability (Figure 9). Six focus areas highlight certain contextual aspects that have been identified as leverage points through which LAFC sustainability can be most influenced and refer to ‘pressure on the environment‘ (environmental pillar), ‘innovation in technology and management‘ (economic pillar), ‘knowledge and trustful information‘ (social pillar), ‘efficient resource reuse‘ (intersection viable), ‘healthy environment and society‘ (intersection bearable) and ‘support to communities‘ (intersection equitable). These six focus areas are further dissected by the 24 themes summarizing key sustainability factors that we acquired with the SWOT analysis.

Pressures on the environment (environmental pillar) aim to better manage limited resources and protect the environment and natural resources in the LAFC. The scope of this focus area involves (i) ‘biodiversity‘ to maintain balance and support life; (ii) healthy ‘soil‘ and its sustainable management; (iii) ‘greenhouse gas‘ and ‘waste‘ management; and (iv) the influence of consumer ‘food choices‘, which has a direct and significant impact on the LAFC.

Innovation in technology and management (economic pillar) aims to use resources efficiently and responsibly and to consistently generate profits in the LAFC. The scope of this focus area involves (i) applying current technologies to develop a ‘novel farming system‘; (ii) ‘infrastructure and machinery‘ to manage waste and impact productivity, efficiency, and production costs; and (iii) ‘new business models‘ that cover all aspects of legume use for a competitive advantage.

Knowledge and trustful information (social pillar) aim to persistently achieve good social wellbeing in an LAFC. The scope of this focus area involves (i) ‘public procurement‘ as a tool for the supply of sustainable food and nutrition; (ii) ‘labelling‘ as part of the branding and product identification to ensure food safety and quality; (iii) customer ‘awareness‘ of their health and the social, economic, and environmental consequences of their food choices; and (iv) ‘promotion‘ of legume benefits from the perspective of improving knowledge transfer in all links in the LAFC.

Efficient resource reuse (viability) aims to make living conditions for all citizens living with the LAFC viable. The scope of this focus area involves (i) harnessing the ‘bioeconomic potential‘ of legumes for food, feed, bio-based fibre products, and bioenergy and related public goods; (ii) avoiding/reducing ‘packaging‘ to efficiently improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts; (iii) reducing energy use and increasing energy efficiency in a ‘short chain (fossil fuels and electricity) ‘; and (iv) reducing ‘food losses‘ and ‘waste‘.

Healthy environment and society (bearability) aim to make conditions for all citizens living within the LAFC, bearable. The scope of this focus area involves (i) understanding ‘consumer preferences‘ and behaviour towards legume products; (ii) ensuring ‘food quality‘ and high nutritional value; (iii) supporting ‘local production‘ and ‘short chain‘ to sustain the environment and local communities; and (iv) the differences of legume production and consumption based on ‘culture and tradition‘.

Support to communities (equitability) aims to make conditions for all citizens living with the LAFC equitable. The scope of this focus area involves (i) the quality of ‘employment‘, including knowledge transfer, training, and label intensity; (ii) ‘economic status‘, including income, assessments of wealth, and assessments of economic pressure; (iii) ‘local production‘, which influences the wealth and social conditions that support local businesses, create jobs, support vulnerable groups, and circulate money in the local economy; and (iv) ‘equality and collaboration‘ between farmers and LAFC actors.

The results of the sustainability assessment of the individual links in the LAFC are represented by circles, which represent the ratio of the number of identified factors that could enhance sustainability (green circles) to the number of identified factors that could weaken sustainability (red circles) (Figure 10). The ratio of the beneficial to constraint factors for each focus area and each identified theme are provided in Appendix A (Figure A1, Figure A2, Figure A3, Figure A4, Figure A5 and Figure A6).

3.1. Focus Area: Pressures on the Environment (Environmental Pillar)

In the focus area ‘pressures on the environment’, in the production link, participants in the workshop identified a higher number of constraints that undermined sustainability than beneficial ones (Figure 10, Figure A1). Most constraints were identified in the theme ‘soil‘, regarding irrigation and pH. Global climate change is recognized as a potential threat to crops [62], so the need for irrigation for legume production will increase because legumes can be highly susceptible both to water deficits and/or waterlogging stress throughout the growing season [63]. Irrigation systems place a significant financial burden on producers, but without proper water management [64], unfavourable soil moisture minimizes yield, increases weed growth, and degrades legume crop health. In addition, most legumes grow and develop best in nearly pH-neutral soils. In Slovenia, soils are largely acidic and less suitable for legume production, although they are sufficiently deep. Ferguson et al. also pointed out that acidic soils affect root growth, nodulation, and the nitrogen fixation potential of acid-sensitive legumes [65]. On the other hand, the highest number of beneficial factors of legume production has been noted in the theme ‘biodiversity‘, regarding the reduced use of synthetic N fertilizer and the use of cover crops. The potential of legumes to reduce dependence on synthetic N fertilizers [17,66] may have a positive impact on biodiversity, as excessive nitrogen application is associated with biodiversity loss, which has also been highlighted by Świtek et al. [67]. In addition, the use of legumes as a cover crop has a beneficial effect on the protection of crops from weeds and can increase soil organic matter content, thus improving soil function, e.g., fertility, stability, resilience, and crop protection. This was also highlighted by Kocira et al. [68]. Ranaldo et al. [69] confirmed that the use of cover crops has a more favourable effect on biodiversity.

In the processing link, the number of beneficial and constraint factors was balanced (Figure 10). The most benefits were in the theme ‘waste‘, which highlights the potential of legume waste management by developing by-products from food (seed waste, hulls) that can be successfully used in feed [70]. Most constraint factors were identified for the theme ‘GHG‘, where the carbon footprint of imports was recognized as the most important factor.

The transport link identified the highest number of constraining factors undermining sustainability for the themes ‘soil‘ and ‘GHG‘ (Figure A1). The transport link can include field-to-farm transportation, where heavy agricultural machinery is used. The high mass of these heavy machines can lead to soil compaction, as Gürsoy also pointed out [71]. This can have both environmentally and economically negative consequences for the producer. Similar to the processing link, an impact on GHG emission was also identified due to the import of legumes. Higher imports result in higher GHG emissions [72], which have an impact on two levels: firstly, the carbon costs of land use change for legume grain production (e.g., in deforested rainforest areas) is offshored; secondly, less domestically grown legumes are cultivated. Such a displacement is favourable for non-leguminous, N-fertilizer-demanding crops.

A number of constraints predominate compared with those that are beneficial in the market link (Figure 10). Constraining factors were identified in all themes except the ‘biodiversity‘ theme, where no sustainability impact was identified (Figure A1). The ‘food choice‘ theme identified the highest number of benefits and constraints, indicating that this is where the greatest room for improvement exists. This is because new legume products are entering the market, and the benefits of diversifying legume sales, particularly through niche markets with high added value, could contribute to the enhancement of LAFC sustainability [73]. However, although legumes are recognized as protein-rich crops and a suitable substitute for meat [74], meat consumption is still an undisputed mainstay of Slovenian cuisine. The low cost of meat imported from abroad is an economic incentive for retailers (markets), allowing them to offer cheap meat, which further influences consumers’ food choices and has an impact on the environment. Similar findings were also highlighted by Asante-Addo et al. [75]

The importance of the ‘food choice‘ theme is also reflected in the consumer link, where the number of beneficial and constraining factors is equal (Figure 10, Figure A1). Eating locally produced legumes instead of meat can reduce environmental impacts [22] and improve resource use efficiency. Despite the proven positive environmental impact of consuming domestically grown legumes (see Section 1, paragraph 5), there are currently still many constraints undermining the Slovenian LAFC. This is due to the focus on optimizing economic growth rather than minimizing environmental degradation [76]. This reflects the lack of knowhow and awareness of plant-based protein products [74] and, consequently, the lack of legume producers.

3.2. Focus Area: Innovation in Technology and Management (Economic Pillar)

The results show that there is a large technology gap in the first three links of the LAFC. The links that stand out in this focus area are the production and processing links (Figure 10), where the highest number of constraint factors have been identified. In the production link, only constraints were identified in the themes ‘novel farming systems‘ and ‘infrastructure and machinery‘(Figure A2). Similar findings from Brown et al. confirm the fact, also presented in the theme ‘novel farming systems’, that older farmers are less likely to adopt new technologies or to change their land use [77]. The use of advanced technologies to develop new farming systems is limited due to the high average age of Slovenian farmers, which is 57 years [48]. In addition, the lack of appropriate machinery for legume production also constrains the increase of legume production in Slovenia. Proper mechanization for production can effectively improve farm income, production costs, production value, income, and yields [78]. To improve the situation, it is necessary to increase public policy support to initiate investments in legume machinery to promote novel agricultural mechanization and modernize the production link.

The processing link also identified more constraints undermining sustainability than benefits supporting it (Figure 10). Most constraining factors were identified in the ‘new business models’ theme, regarding knowledge transfer (Figure A2). The introduction of new business models requires new professional skills. However, the knowledge and skills of Slovenian processors regarding the development of innovative legume products are low, especially in the area of adding value to coproducts and isolated fractions such as hulls, protein, and starch concentrates or isolates. Knowledge transfer and innovation are becoming increasingly important. This was also highlighted by Muscio and Sisto [79,80,81]. Encouraging start-ups, internships, and interdisciplinary innovation networks in legume feed and food processing and technology could reduce these constraints.

The transport and market link has a higher number of beneficial factors for improving sustainability (Figure 10) compared with the number of constraint factors. In the transport theme, ‘infrastructure and machinery‘ workshop participants identified the highest number of both beneficial and constraint factors, suggesting that this link has the most alternatives for the improvement of sustainability (Figure A2). Machinery tends to consume much more energy in the beginning, but energy consumption decreases as operations stabilize [82]. If companies are further encouraged to collaborate (sharing machines and storage capacity, moving towards renewable energy, etc.), then a positive impact on energy consumption and, consequently, the economic situation of the company or farm is expected. The constraints in the theme ‘infrastructure and machinery‘, highlight the lack of appropriate infrastructures, such as environmentally friendly transport vehicles, storage facilities, etc. This was highlighted as one of the most significant limitations on economic growth in many developing countries. Spang et al. [83] concede that the lack of inadequate transportation infrastructure increases the loss and waste of food during transportation.

In the market link, the theme ‘new business models‘ only has beneficial factors (Figure A2). The domestic legume-based feed and food markets are expected to grow at an annual rate of +6% [84]. Rapid advancements in food technology [85] have also brought new plant-based foods (vegan, gluten-free, plant-based protein) that offer opportunities for the development of new sustainable business models for legumes [13]. The consumer link was not recognized as the one that could contribute to sustainability improvement, as no factors were identified, indicating that participants in the workshop assumed that consumers do not pay attention to this focus area (Figure 10).

3.3. Focus Area: Knowledge and Trustful Information (Social Pillar)

In the first two links in the LAFC, more constraints than sustainability improvement factors were identified (Figure 10). In the production link, the most constraints identified were for the theme ‘awareness‘ (Figure A3). The knowledge of Slovenian producers regarding the production of legumes and their potential uses is low, as is the transfer of knowledge regarding the potential of legumes. Farmers’ knowledge needs to be improved, especially in terms of legume-based crop rotation and avoiding synthetic N fertilizer use. Similar findings were also highlighted by Ferreira et al. [74].

The theme ‘labelling‘ also represented a constraint on the production link, exposing the lack of adequate labelling and highlighting where domestically grown legumes are utilized (Figure A3). Legume production and its environmental benefits (see Section 1, paragraph 5) could be an opportunity to raise consumer awareness of legumes by introducing a label for products produced in an environmentally friendly manner. The label could both raise public awareness of the environmental impacts [86] associated with legume production, and support producers who offer legume products.

In the processing link, constraints were present in the themes ‘awareness‘ and, especially, ‘promotion‘; although there have been several international campaigns to promote the benefits of legumes or legume products [74], the number and impacts of such initiatives are still low, especially in the processing link, where the presence of initiatives and, consequently, knowledge transfer is the lowest (Figure A3). Promotion in all links of the chain would improve knowledge and information transfer within the chain, which, in turn, would influence the mindset and increase the use of legumes over time.

The transport link did not contribute to either benefits or constraints because there were no identified factors. The identification of more benefits leading towards sustainability was identified in the second half of the LAFC (Figure 10).

Only one theme was identified concerning the market link (Figure A3). The ‘awareness‘ theme highlights the benefits of existing market brands and quality schemes because consumers prefer to buy the brand they know well, as Shahid et al. also pointed out [87]. For the market, consumer trust is very important and maintaining consumer confidence is essential, and, consequently, the demand for locally produced, healthy, and sustainable products [88] may be fulfilled by legumes.

In terms of the consumer link, benefits were present in all themes (‘public procurement‘, ‘labelling‘, ‘awareness‘, ‘promotion‘), but mostly in the ‘awareness‘ theme (Figure A3). The global food industry has increasingly focused its activities on dietary trends (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free) [89]; thus, many health organizations and dietary guidelines in Slovenia are increasingly promoting healthier and sustainable legumes, especially as potential sources of protein [90]. Furthermore, due to the highest number of benefits and constraints identified in the consumer link, this link has the greatest potential to improve sustainability.

3.4. Focus Area: Efficient Resource Reuse (Viability)

In this focus area, in the production link, the number of identified beneficial and constraint factors is equal (Figure 10). The benefits are in the ‘bioeconomic potential‘ theme, which highlights the role of legumes in reducing the dependence on the nitrogen fertilizer industry [17]. The constraint factors are present in the theme ‘food loss/waste‘, highlighting the Slovenian knowledge gap regarding the, currently, relatively low value of processing co-products such as legume hulls (seed coats) (Figure A4). The food sector in the EU is increasingly moving towards a circular economy, which is expected to work towards minimizing food losses and waste and valorising coproducts [91]. As the innovative use of by-products minimizes food loss and waste, it becomes a new norm in sustainable food systems. By-products from food waste can play a key role in converting low-value materials into high-quality products. Similar findings were also highlighted by Ominski [92].

The processing, transport, market, and consumer links all have more identifiable benefits regarding sustainability (Figure 10). In the processing link, the ‘bioeconomic potential‘ theme stands out, highlighting the potential of legumes for non-food products (Figure A4). For example, legume starch can be converted to bioethanol in the same way as cereal starch, and many perennial legumes and grasses have been found to have potential as bioenergy crops [93,94,95].

The transport link had the most benefits in the themes ‘packaging‘ and ‘short chain (fossil fuels, electricity) ‘(Figure A4). Legumes require less multilayer packaging, leading to environmentally friendly options (less packaging, eco-materials, the recycling and waste management of packaging materials) and low packaging costs in the long run [96]. From the perspective of energy consumption in short chains, the main benefits of transportation are low energy consumption due to short transport distances and the possibility of sharing machinery. Under optimal storage conditions, the main benefit of grain legumes is their long shelf life compared with vegetables, dairy products, fruits, and meat products, which improves the availability of legumes throughout the year. This benefit has not been fully exploited due to farmers’ lack of suitable storage conditions [97].

No constraint factors have been identified in the consumer link (Figure 10), but beneficial factors have been identified in the theme ‘food loss/waste‘, regarding the long shelf life of unprocessed dry whole-grain legumes. Long food shelf life at ambient temperatures is a benefit that consumers consider when buying legumes to save energy and money and avoid waste.

This study showed that the Slovenian LAFC has a competitive advantage due to the potential for the efficient use of resources in all links. The link that stands out and has the greatest potential for improving sustainability in this focus area is transport—that is, by breaking down constraints in the theme ‘food loss/waste‘ and further supporting the benefits in the themes ‘packaging‘ and ‘short chain (fossil fuels, electricity)‘.

3.5. Focus Area: Healthy Environment and Society (Bearability)

In this focus area, the only beneficial factors identified were for the production link (Figure 10) in the themes ‘consumer’s preferences‘, ‘food quality‘ and ‘local production–short chains‘ (Figure A5). The theme ‘consumer’s preferences‘ espoused new, innovative products made from legumes that are becoming more important as substitutes for meat proteins [74]. Therefore, they have a strong presence in the vegan food market and among environmentally conscious consumers. In the theme ‘food quality‘, organic production is increasingly attracting the spending power of consumers [98]. Legumes can be a beneficial component of organic production. They increase crop diversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the use of external inputs, such as nitrogen fertilizer, etc. [99]. In the theme ‘local production–short chains‘, the benefits are in buying locally [1] to support the community. This would contribute to reducing the amount of fuel needed to transport food to market, thus increasing food quality, keeping finances in the community, and promoting a healthy environment and diversity. This was also highlighted by Dubová and Macháč [100].

On the other hand, the consumer link was found to report more constraints that undermine sustainability (Figure 10). Constraints were found across all themes but were strongest in the theme ‘consumer’s preferences‘, regarding the need to reduce meat consumption and the lack of knowledge regarding alternative (plant) proteins derived from legumes. Slovenian consumers are still heavily biased towards the consumption of meat products, as the consumption of raw legume grains and vegetables is low due to digestive issues and/or a lack of familiarity and knowledge on how best to prepare and cook legumes. Similar findings were also pointed out by Ferreira et al. and Figueira et al. [74,101].

3.6. Focus Area: Support to Communities (Equitability)

The production and processing links have more beneficial factors that enhance sustainability than constraint factors (Figure 10). The highest number of beneficial factors were identified in the theme ‘economic status‘, where local food systems were seen as playing an important role (Figure A6). Local production and processing create jobs in the community, improve economic viability by shortening the chain, and, thus, increase profit margins. Jarzębowski et al. presented similar findings [102]. In addition, direct marketing channels create more aware and vibrant communities by cultivating better and more direct relationships between producers and consumers [103].

The transport link was identified as the link with the most constraints, mainly via the theme ‘economic status‘ (Figure A6). Low profits negatively impact the economic status of transportation, as sales are limited by intense competition, uncertain consumer demand, and fuel price instability [104].

Markets also have more constraints than benefit factors impacting sustainability (Figure 10). The ‘equality and collaboration‘ theme involves the bargaining power of the market as a major problem in the Slovenian LAFC (Figure A6). The weakest links, such as small farmers and consumers, negotiate with the strong retail sector [105]. Since Slovenian legume producers are mostly smallholders and home gardeners [48], the retail market link has the strongest bargaining power. The constraints on the theme ‘local production‘ indicate that local production conditions to help foster and assure legumes cultivation are unstable [74]. Stable regulation and facilitation initiatives (i.e., improved political support) would increase the production of legumes and help assure the increased quantities needed for local market stability. This has also been highlighted by Watson et al. [18].

The consumer link revealed an equal number of benefits and constraints, with the lowest number of factors identified in this focus area, justifying the fact that there is the least room for improvement (Figure 10).

3.7. Sustainability Assessment of the Legume Agri-Food Chain as a Whole

To summarize these results at the legume agri-food chain level, we first consider the overall sustainability of the different focus areas. The focus areas ‘pressures on the environment’ and ‘innovation in technology and management’ undermine the overall sustainability of the LAFC (Figure 10). Both focus areas identified more constraints than beneficial factors. To improve the focus area ‘pressures on the environment’, the focus has to be on the theme ‘soil‘ in the first two links of the LAFC (production; processing), and on the theme ‘food choice’ in the last two links of the LAFC (market and retailer; consumer) (Figure A1). Similarly, the study shows the need to support the already growing green legume production/processing initiative. Consumers have already highlighted benefits in the ‘knowledge and trustful information’ focus area. Strengthening these beneficial factors should improve the ‘pressure on the environment’ focus area.

Sustainability constraints prevail over benefits in the focus area ‘innovation in technology and management’ of the LAFC (Figure 10). By the number of benefits and constraints identified, this focus area offers the smallest number of options for improving sustainability. However, most improvements can be made by breaking down the constraints and continuing to support the beneficial factors in the themes ‘infrastructure and machinery’ and ‘new business models’ (Figure A2). A strategic approach at the national level is needed to enable investments in appropriate production technologies together with a modern and competitive food processing industry based on entrepreneurial approaches and market orientation for the LAFC. At the same time, integration between the links of the chain (or networks) is crucial, as they provide access to different knowledge and partnerships in different companies, which can lead to innovation for the LAFC in Slovenia—and beyond, in all likelihood.

There does appear to be significant potential to increase sustainability in the ‘efficient resource reuse’ and ‘healthy environment and society’ focus areas (Figure 10). The former shows that only 22% of the identified factors were recognized as sustainability barriers, and it also has the lowest number of identified constraint factors for LAFC areas. The theme ‘food loss/waste’ was present in all the links, and, therefore, overcoming constraints and continuing to support the beneficial factors in this theme will improve the overall LAFC (Figure A4).

The ‘healthy environment and society’ focus area had the greatest possibility for sustainability improvement in the last link of the LAFC (consumer) (Figure 10) and highlights that the most attention (the highest number of identified benefits and constraints) was given to the focus area ‘support to communities’ (Figure 10), indicating that communities support regional legume-based economies, and these are an important component of the LAFC. The results also demonstrated the importance of this focus area, both in terms of the current benefits that enhance and constraints that undermine LAFC sustainability. To improve the situation of the LAFC in this focus area, concerted action is required in the themes of ‘Economic status’ and ‘Local production’ (Figure A6).

Looking at the overall results of all six focus areas, our analysis of the LAFC in Slovenia showed more beneficial factors to enhance sustainability than those constraining it (Figure 10). However, the results should still be viewed as a whole, where the identified and described factors provide a comprehensive overview of the potential incentives and barriers for the further improvement of the sustainability of Slovenian LAFCs.

The methodology we used allowed us to approach the issue of sustainability in a truly holistic way; that is, we systematically integrated all three pillars and their interactions so that we could adequately address the main sustainability factors that drive the agri-food chain. Many studies focus on individual pillars rather than taking a holistic approach. Acquaye et al. and Boström found that the main focus of sustainability is on individual pillars, while other aspects are ignored or neglected [4,5]. From an agri-food chain perspective, the methodology also allows us to look at the subject holistically rather than in a particular way (individual links in the chain). Most agri-food chain sustainability assessment studies primarily focus on improving individual links rather than the agri-food chain as a whole; therefore, they are not interconnected [25,26] and, thus, cannot understand the chain’s structure, external conditions, and internal processes. Petit et al. stated that sustainability assessment needs to be conducted throughout the whole chain, taking into account all aspects of sustainability [24].

To gain insight into and improve the sustainability of legume agri-food chains, a qualitative SWOT analysis method was incorporated with the multi-stakeholder approach (Multi-SWOT). In an effort to be more accurate, many definitions of all aspects of sustainability were developed and discussed over time. Using the integrated, holistic Multi-SWOT approach, we have left this theoretical framework of sustainability (environmental, economic, social) and moved to a rational framework that concretely names the components (focus areas).

However, there are still challenges. The first arises at the phase of finding relevant stakeholders who are willing to participate. Another problem is how to communicate these findings to help direct more sustainable decision-making. While the system itself is well described, how best to transfer the knowledge and insight from the application of the Multi-SWOT tool to the decision-makers who influence the development of the whole agri-food sector is not clear.

4. Conclusions

Given the urgency at which local and global measures are being sought to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss whilst still ensuring nutritional security, a plethora of peer-reviewed articles has emerged on the diverse array of benefits offered by domestically grown legumes. Given the fact that domestically grown, legume-supported food systems require systematic changes across the value chains and all three pillars of sustainability, the provision of proper decision support for policy-makers (governments) and businesses is of paramount importance to enable positive system-level change [106].

In a country with limited legume acreage, economic resources, and consumer awareness such as Slovenia, developing a sustainable LAFC requires a strategic approach to better integrate sustainability into policy and practice. The results of this study provide significant insight and support to the Slovenian LAFC to improve its sustainability.

Decision-makers need to focus on implementing an approach that will improve community support at the regional level. The study indicates that regional communities are a critical component to realising LAFC since these stakeholders develop capacities at practical scales to realise in-praxis and regional legume-based economies. On the other hand, the most constraints that need to be minimized or eliminated are those that are barriers to ‘innovation in technology and management’. We propose a strategic and integrated approach at the regional level that focuses on investments in infrastructure and new business models. Activities should align with sustainable agri-food policies at the operational and strategic levels, both national and international.

The insights presented in this paper have been achieved via the introduction of a novel methodology (Multi-SWOT) for the identification of the incentives (beneficial factors) and barriers (constraint factors) that have positive and negative impacts on the sustainability of the LAFC. It upgrades the traditional SWOT analysis with the hierarchical three-tier structure of the criteria (factors, focus areas, themes), which is used for a description of the six different aspects of sustainability and their integration into an overall sustainability assessment. The use of Multi-SWOT has improved the uncertainty regarding the relative importance of the factors identified due to the involvement of diverse groups of stakeholders from across the legume agri-food chain. In addition, the representation of the Multi-SWOT results according to the relative number of incentives (beneficial factors) and barriers (constraint factors), visually represented as circles, upscales the standard listing or qualitative examination of results.

The contribution of this study narrows the theoretical dimensions of sustainability attributes (environmental, economic, and social, as well as the intersections between them) and improves the resolution on specific, key dimensions of the sustainability pillars, their intersections, and the main characteristics of the legume agri-food chain. The study provides specific content directions (focus areas) that will provide powerful support to a broad range of decision-makers and facilitators working to address challenges regarding the sustainability [107] of LAFC in two ways: (i) by working on the implementation of the advantages and benefits and (ii) by minimizing or eliminating the constraints that could jeopardize the sustainability of food systems in general.

In addition, the results of this study will, therefore, contribute to more effective communication with all policy-makers who steer the sustainable development of the whole LAFC. The novel methodology can also be applied to strengthen decision-making in the circular economy and applied alongside other tools and approaches aimed to promote more sustainable societies in general through inter- and transdisciplinary community building.

Finally, the results of the proposed methodology, which combines SWOT analysis and multi-attribute sustainability assessment via the multi-stakeholder approach, revealed priority areas for improving Slovenian LAFC, helping realise a more informed foundation for sustainability goal-related decision-making. This includes the implementation of activities supporting the national (CAP) Strategic Plan for Slovenia and the Farm-to-Fork and Biodiversity Strategies. The methodological approach could also be applied to develop and implement new strategies within different food or non-food agricultural sectors (potato-based chains, cotton-based chains, etc.). Furthermore, the methodology could be transferred to other non-food sectors as well (e.g., industrial products, including bioenergy).

Further research direction should be aimed at a solution for better integrating the wide range of relevant information that has been pointed out using the Multi-SWOT method in a way that allows for effective communication with top decision-makers in the agri-food sector. This would lead to even more informed decision-making with respect to sustainability. Further research should also aim to enhance the presented analysis with parallel multi-criteria decision analysis tools (such as Decision Expert (DEX) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)) to systematically qualify the beneficial and constraint factors.