Agriculture Value Chain — Challenges and Trends in Academia and Industry

This book stands as a significant milestone in the realm of agricultural research and innovation, representing the comprehensive efforts of the RUC-APS Project. The RUC-APS Project, officially known as "Enhancing and Implementing Knowledge-Based ICT Solutions Within High-Risk and Uncertain Conditions for Agriculture Production Systems," was a collaborative initiative under the H2020 European Framework, running from October 3, 2016, to April 2, 2022. Spearheaded by the esteemed Prof. Jorge Hernández, formerly of the University of Liverpool, UK, and currently affiliated with Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago de Chile, the project brought together a consortium of 16 participants from 5 EU countries and 3 partners from 2 third countries. This book marks the culmination of rigorous research and insights garnered through a meticulous peer-review process involving contributions from various RUC-APS international conferences held between 2021 and 2023. It delves into the pressing need to address the challenges faced by modern agricultural systems, particularly agricultural value chains, amidst volatile and uncertain environmental conditions. The ever-changing landscape of resources, coupled with factors like unpredictable weather patterns, pest infestations, market fluctuations, and fluctuating commodity prices, necessitates a holistic and adaptive approach to ensure resilience and sustainability across the agricultural value chain. Navigating these complexities requires informed decision-making processes that account for risks throughout the entire agricultural lifecycle. The complexity of these decision-making paradigms underscores the critical importance of this book and the insights gleaned from the RUC-APS Project. By shedding light on multifaceted challenges and proposing innovative solutions, this collaborative effort aims to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape.