Using agent-based modelling to explore the impact of social events, labour dynamics, and human factors on food production: apple harvesting as a case study

Food production systems are shaped by external factors, such as social events and economic shifts, which influence and are influenced by labour dynamics—e.g., workforce availability—and human factors—e.g., worker skills. Using a systems approach, this paper explores how labour shortages impacting worker teams—such as in terms of mixture of availability, skills, and human behaviours—affect production and quality. UK apple harvesting is chosen as a case study due to its reliance on skilled seasonal migrant workers. Findings highlight the need for strategies such as upskilling local workers, enhancing training programmes, and adopting new technologies to mitigate labour shortages and enable high-performance collaborative worker groups.