Title: Developing zero-emission transport systems for efficient and sustainable food supply chains

Authors: P. Sumathi; I. Sakthidevi; S. Sangeetha; S. Navin Prasad; G. Priyanga; Balakumar Vijayaraman

Addresses: Department of CSE, Sri Sairam College of Engineering, Anekal, Bangalore, India ' Department of IT, Adhiyamaan College of Engineering (Autonomous), Hosur, India ' Department of IT, Adhiyamaan College of Engineering (Autonomous), Hosur, India ' Department of Computer Applications, Lead College (Autonomous), Palakkad, India ' Department of IT, Adhiyamaan College of Engineering (Autonomous), Hosur, India ' MPLS NOC, BSNL, Bengaluru, India

Abstract: Sustainable food supply chains are critical for ensuring long-term food security and environmental health. This research focuses on developing zero-emission transport systems for efficient and sustainable food supply chains. The study introduces the 'emission reduction strategist' (ERS), an advanced algorithm designed to identify and implement strategies for reducing emissions in food transportation. ERS employs decision trees and gradient descent to classify emission scenarios and optimise reduction strategies. Simulation analysis compared the performance of ERS with established methods such as Dijkstra's algorithm, genetic algorithm, and simulated annealing using metrics like carbon emission reduction, operational efficiency, and route optimisation quality. Comparative analysis shows ERS achieves an average improvement of 15%-20% in carbon emission reduction, 5%-10% in operational efficiency, and 4%-7% in route optimisation quality compared to traditional algorithms. Results showed that ERS significantly reduced emissions while maintaining efficient delivery schedules, outperforming existing algorithms in minimising carbon footprint and optimising route planning.

Keywords: carbon emission reduction; food supply chains; sustainability; zero-emission transport; machine learning; optimisation; supply chain management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2026.155081

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2026 Vol.40 No.3, pp.258 - 274

Received: 27 Feb 2025
Accepted: 26 May 2025
Published online: 27 Jul 2026 *

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