1. SHAKEROD MUNUHWA - Business Management Department, BAISAGO University, Bag F238, Francistown, Botswana.
2. DAVID CHIKWERE - Business Management Department, BAISAGO University, Bag F238, Francistown, Botswana.
3. HENRY CHIHWAYI - Accounting and Finance Department, BAISAGO University, Bag F238, Francistown, Botswana.
4. RUDO GUMBO - Department of Education, BAISAGO University, 11 Koi Street, Peolwane, Gaborone, Botswana.
5. NEDNAH KEMUNTO MARAGA - Department of Law & Paralegal Studies, BAISAGO University, Bag F238, Francistown, Botswana.
The study contributes towards a healthy and sustainable food supply chain management system. This paper discusses the influence and relevance of traceability in improving food safety within the supply chain in Zimbabwe. This is against the background that food risks have not been easy to rectify once the food product is within the supply chain, especially when it has been distributed to end users already. For methodology, the study employed a quantitative approach with a sample size of 31 food organizations and 65 customers. Evidence points out that food supply chain reliability has a positive and significant influence on food traceability; food traceability has a positive and significant influence on food safety; food safety was found to have an insignificant influence on customer satisfaction; and supply chain reliability has a positive and significant influence on customer satisfaction. However, in the absence of reliable and efficient supply chain management it was found that it is difficult to develop effective and sustainable food traceability. It is recommended that all food producers, intermediaries, suppliers, consumers and other stakeholders contribute positively towards improving efficiency of food traceability to improve food safety and customer satisfaction.
Food traceability, Supply chain reliability, food safety, customer satisfaction.