Title: Revelation of value addition to agricultural crops: systematic literature review

Authors: K. Govardhana Reddy; Shivam Sakshi

Addresses: VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India ' VIT Business School, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India

Abstract: Agriculture is central to India's economy, yet farmers struggle with sustainability and adopting value-added techniques. While value-addition can boost revenue and reduce waste, the drivers of its adoption remain underexplored. This study conducts a comprehensive review of existing literature on value addition to agricultural crops and establishes a future research agenda. The methodology integrates bibliometric analysis via biblioshiny with a systematic literature review (SLR). Following the SPAR-4 protocol, papers were retrieved from the Scopus and WOS databases and analysed using the theory, context, characteristics, and methodology (TCCM) framework. Findings indicate that, while agricultural entrepreneurship is studied using mixed-methods, the field lacks empirical consistency and a unified theoretical foundation. Most studies are fragmented, utilising disparate theories rather than cohesive frameworks. Significant research gaps were identified regarding farmer motivation, specific value-added practices, and farmers' behavioural intentions to adopt these strategies. This paper concludes by proposing a structured research agenda to address these gaps and provides a roadmap for future investigations into agricultural sustainability and value creation.

Keywords: value addition; agriculture crops; sustainable agriculture; SPAR-4 protocol; systematic literature.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2026.154876

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2026 Vol.20 No.2, pp.183 - 208

Received: 02 Aug 2025
Accepted: 24 Mar 2026
Published online: 16 Jul 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article