Integrated management of the sugar value chain: a sustainable approach for the Cuban agro-industry

Abstract

The Cuban sugarcane agroindustry underwent a transformation process aimed at increasing efficiency and competitiveness, although structural limitations persisted that affected actor articulation, logistics, and knowledge management. The objective of this study was to establish the theoretical and methodological foundations of strategic management of the sugarcane value chain and to identify relevant instruments for its diagnosis. An exploratory-descriptive study was carried out through documentary analysis of more than 2,500 scientific articles, complemented by semi-structured interviews and participatory techniques, in which six essential dimensions were examined: supply, productive capacity, markets, governance, financing, and institutional environment. The results showed scarce scientific production specifically focused on sugarcane value chains and confirmed the need to apply diagnostic tools such as value stream mapping, SWOT analysis, benchmarking, and the UNIDO methodology, which allowed the identification of bottlenecks, organizational weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. It was evidenced that integrated strategic management favored articulation among the different actors of the chain, strengthened knowledge and resource linkages, and contributed to improving the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector. In conclusion, strategic management of the sugarcane value chain proved to be an essential approach to address the limitations of the Cuban agroindustry, and the proposed methodological instruments provided a solid basis for comprehensive diagnosis, promoting economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the sector.