SCO 2026-2030: Center of African Excellence on Sustainable Operations for Resource Management and Food Supply

Maria Besiou

Andreas Gernert

Over the past five years, Kühne Logistics University (KLU), the University of Nairobi (UoN), and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), in collaboration with LEARN Logistics, have developed the African Center of Excellence for Sustainable Operations in Resource Management and Food Supply (SCO).

The SCO aims to create both short- and long-term sustainable impact by positioning issues of sustainable resource management and food supply at the center of public, private, and civil society agendas. It promotes these goals through interdisciplinary education, applied research, and direct engagement with communities and practitioners.

Sustainable operations is one of the most inherently transdisciplinary fields of study. It sits at the core of global efforts to manage resources and ensure food security in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural resource degradation. The concept involves the integrated pursuit of social, economic, and
environmental goals—the triple bottom line—within and beyond organizations. It encompasses the roles of businesses in supply chains, their relationships with communities and governments, and their responsibility for workers’ well-being.
This broader perspective is especially relevant in developing countries, where businesses often rely on smallholder farmers, informal producers, and family-run enterprises. Coordinating these actors effectively is essential—not only for improving supply chain efficiency, but also for enhancing livelihoods and resilience.

Establishing inclusive, well-functioning business processes in such environments requires deep expertise in logistics, operational strategy, and supply chain coordination. Professionals in operations management are equipped to respond to these demands. They understand local and global markets, consumer demand, quality standards, and pricing systems. Their ability to act on sustainability opportunities is vital for fostering inclusive economic growth. The African continent faces specific challenges: rapid population growth, high unemployment rate, and industrialization ambitions are compounded by humanitarian crises, including droughts, famines, and conflict, which continue to disrupt livelihoods and strain already fragile supply chains. In addition, many regions suffer from inadequate transport and communication infrastructure, inconsistent policy environments, and limited access to financing for sustainable logistics initiatives. These systemic limitations often hinder timely disaster response and the resilience of supply chains under stress. Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of natural disasters, including floods, droughts and cyclones, further exposing the vulnerability of rural and peri-urban communities. Moreover, informal logistics networks, while adaptive, frequently operate outside formal regulatory frameworks, raising concerns about labor rights, environmental degradation, and coordination inefficiencies. These dual pressures—development and disruption—make it imperative to design operational systems that are not only efficient and scalable, but also socially inclusive and environmentally responsible. It is through a context-specific, multi-stakeholder approach that African nations can enhance resilience, reduce inequality, and build logistics systems capable of supporting long-term recovery and sustainable development. To address these challenges, the SCO educates Master and PhD students in interdisciplinary fields such as agriculture, production, and supply chain management. Its model emphasizes close collaboration with local communities to develop applied and sustainable solutions. Graduates go on to contribute to agendas of government, NGOs, academia, and industry. Depending on their prior training and specialization, graduates are well-prepared to serve as either sustainability experts or leaders within their sectors. The specific components of the ongoing project are: The Master in Business Research (MBR) offers structured, practice-oriented research education, and prepares emerging scholars to contribute solutions in critical areas like sustainable food systems and agriculture. The Master in Sustainable Management and Operations (SuMO) addresses the growing demand for professionals and future academics in sustainable food supply chains, agro-logistics, and sustainable agriculture. Its interdisciplinary design welcomes students from diverse backgrounds such as sustainability, business, agriculture, logistics, supply chain, and food systems. With a strong focus on local and regional realities, the program prepares graduates to lead transformative change toward a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.