Dr Rajendra Adhikari
Senior Lecturer in Agribusiness
School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability
+61 7 54601 220
Researcher biography
Dr Rajendra Adhikari is a Senior Lecturer in Agribusiness, and a value chain researcher at The University of Queensland (UQ), Gatton. He has more than 25 years of experience in agribusiness value chain research, agricultural project planning, management and evaluation, agribusiness teaching and agrifood policy. Rajendra currently leads ACIAR projects in Pakistan on pulses and citrus (Kinnow), which aim to improve smallholders' welfare using the value chain approach of agrifood industry development. His research is directed towards agribusiness value chain analysis, modelling and development, co-innovation and entrepreneurship, agricultural policy/strategy and behavioural research. He has research experience from Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal and Australia. Rajendra holds a PhD and Master's degree in Agribusiness from UQ.
Publications
Book Chapters
Kafle, Arun, Myers, Baden, Adhikari, Rajendra, Adhikari, Santosh, Sanjel, Prakash K. and Padhyoti, Yadav (2022). Urban agriculture as a wellbeing approach and policy agenda for Nepal. Agriculture, natural resources and food security: lessons from Nepal. (pp. 221-238) edited by Jagadish Timsina, Tek N. Maraseni, Devendra Gauchan, Jagannath Adhikari and Hemant Ojha. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-09555-9_13
Adhikari, Rajendra (2019). Agricultural marketing and high-value chains: enhanced role for private sector towards value chain integration. Agricultural transformation in Nepal: trends, prospects, and policy options. (pp. 475-500) edited by Ganesh Thapa, Anjani Kumar and P. K. Joshi. Singapore: Springer Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-32-9648-0_16
Journal Articles
Subedi, Sandip, Dent, Benjamin and Adhikari, Rajendra (2025). The carbon footprint of mandarin value chains in Nepal. Journal of Cleaner Production, 501 145346, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145346
Subedi, Sandip, Dent, Benjamin and Adhikari, Rajendra (2024). The carbon footprint of fruits: a systematic review from a life cycle perspective. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 52, 12-28. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.10.014
Prasannath, Vanitha, Adhikari, Rajendra P., Gronum, Sarel and Miles, Morgan P. (2024). Impact of government support policies on entrepreneurial orientation and SME performance. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 20 (3), 1533-1595. doi: 10.1007/s11365-024-00993-3
Maryono, Maryono, Killoes, Aditya Marendra, Adhikari, Rajendra and Abdul Aziz, Ammar (2024). Agriculture development through multi-stakeholder partnerships in developing countries: A systematic literature review. Agricultural Systems, 213 103792, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103792
Ayyaz, Sohail, Bonney, Lawrence Bryan and Adhikari, Rajendra (2023). Consumers' insight and behaviour towards mango quality and safety attributes: implications for integrated value chain development. British Food Journal, 125 (12), 4518-4538. doi: 10.1108/bfj-01-2023-0022
Kavesh, Muhammad A., Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala and Adhikari, Rajendra (2023). Women and plant entanglements: pulses commercialization and care relations in Punjab, Pakistan. Oxford Development Studies, 51 (2), 84-96. doi: 10.1080/13600818.2023.2177265
Ho, Khanh Le Phi, Adhikari, Rajendra, Bonney, Laurie, Teo, Do Dang and Miles, Morgan P (2023). Applying the community capital framework for social entrepreneurial ecosystem development: Vietnam’s One Commune One Product program. Community Development, 54 (3), 382-394. doi: 10.1080/15575330.2022.2163410
Fadeyi, Oluwamayokun, A., Adhikari, Rajendra and Aziz, Ammar A. (2022). Understanding the role of finance in technology adoption among smallholder maize farmers in Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 18 (7), 481-492. doi: 10.5897/ajar2022.15974
Muflikh, Yanti Nuraeni, Adhikari, Rajendra and Abdul Aziz, Ammar (2022). Governance structures and price volatility perceptions in the Indonesian chilli value chain. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 13 (4), 631-655. doi: 10.1108/jadee-08-2021-0198
Kumar, Saideepa, Leith, Peat, Garcia Imhof, Carolina and Adhikari, Rajendra (2022). Expectations of water futures and hydrosocial change linked to irrigation development in Tasmania, Australia. Geoforum, 129, 107-117. doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2022.01.009
Dung, Truong Quang, Bonney, Lawrence Bryan, Adhikari, Rajendra and Miles, Morgan P. (2021). Entrepreneurial orientation and vertical knowledge acquisition by smallholder agricultural firms in transitional economies: The role of interfirm collaboration in value-chains. Journal of Business Research, 137, 327-335. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.054
Dung, Truong Quang, Bonney, Lawrence Bryan, Adhikari, Rajendra P. and Miles, Morgan P. (2020). Entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge acquisition and collaborative performance in agri-food value-chains in emerging markets. Supply Chain Management, 25 (5), 521-533. doi: 10.1108/SCM-09-2019-0327
Ho, Khanh Le Phi, Nguyen, Chau Ngoc, Adhikari, Rajendra, Miles, Morgan P. and Bonney, Laurie (2019). Leveraging innovation knowledge management to create positional advantage in agricultural value chains. Journal of Innovation and Knowledge, 4 (2), 115-123. doi: 10.1016/j.jik.2017.08.001
Kumar, Anjani, Roy, Devesh, Joshi, P. K., Tripathi, Gaurav and Adhikari, Rajendra P. (2019). Impact of contract farming of paddy seed on smallholder farm profits: evidence from Nepal. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 32 (1), 25-39. doi: 10.5958/0974-0279.2019.00003.x
Ho, Khanh Le Phi, Nguyen, Chau Ngoc, Adhikari, Rajendra, Miles, Morgan P. and Bonney, Laurie (2018). Exploring market orientation, innovation, and financial performance in agricultural value chains in emerging economies. Journal of Innovation and Knowledge, 3 (3), 154-163. doi: 10.1016/j.jik.2017.03.008
Adhikari, Rajendra P., Bonney, Laurie, Woods, Megan, Clark, Sophie, Coates, Lea, Harwood, Andrew, Eversole, Robyn and Miles, Morgan P. (2018). Applying a community entrepreneurship development framework to rural regional development. Small Enterprise Research, 25 (3), 257-275. doi: 10.1080/13215906.2018.1522274
Woods, Megan, Adhikari, Rajendra P., Bonney, Laurie, Harwood, Andrew, Ross, Sophie, Coates, Lea and Eversole, Robyn (2018). Regional development and the Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise organization. Small Enterprise Research, 25 (3), 290-302. doi: 10.1080/13215906.2018.1522273
Kumar, Anjani, Roy, Devesh, Tripathi, Gaurav, Joshi, P. K. and Adhikari, Rajendra P. (2018). Does contract farming improve profits and food safety? Evidence from tomato cultivation in Nepal. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 8 (3), 603-624. doi: 10.1108/jadee-09-2017-0095
Takeshima, Hiroyuki, Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad, Shivakoti, Sabnam, Kaphle, Basu Dev and Kumar, Anjani (2017). Heterogeneous returns to chemical fertilizer at the intensive margins: Insights from Nepal. Food Policy, 69, 97-109. doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2017.03.007
Takeshima, Hiroyuki, Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad and Kumar, Anjani (2016). Is access to tractor service a binding constraint for Nepali Terai farmers?. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2740619
Takeshima, Hiroyuki, Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad, Kaphle, Basu Dev, Shivakoti, Sabnam and Kumar, Anjani (2016). Determinants of chemical fertilizer use in Nepal: insights based on price responsiveness and income effects. SSRN Electronic Journal doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2740540
Adhikari R.P., Collins R. and Sun X. (2013). Relationship management in a value chain involving "bottom of the pyramid" participants: A case study from Nepal. Acta Horticulturae, 1006 (1006), 41-48. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1006.3
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad, Collins, Ray and Sun, Ximing (2012). Segmenting consumers to inform agrifood value chain development in Nepal. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 15 (4), 93-114.
Conference Papers
Amgai, Saroj, Adhikari, Rajendra P. and Komarek, Adam M. (2024). Understanding socioeconomic and policy constraints to pulses production in Pakistan: a system dynamics approach. 5th Global Food Security Conference, Leuven, Belgium, 9-12 April 2024.
Adhikari, R. P. (2015). Examining preparedness of food actors for value chain development: a vegetable chain case study. 29th International Horticultural Congress (IHC2014), Brisbane, Australia, 17-22 August 2014. Leuven, Belgium: International Society for Horticultural Science. doi: 10.17660/actahortic.2015.1103.2
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad, Collins, Ray and Sun, Ximing (2012). Segmenting consumers of tomato in Nepal: implications for value chain development. 22nd Annual IFAMA World Forum and Symposium, Shanghai, China, 11-12 June 2012. College Station, TX, United States: International Food and Agribusiness Management Association.
Generic Document
Cover, Ian , Adhikari, Rajendra , Bound, Sally , Nissen, Robert and Tarbath, Michael (2018). Australian apple export manual: a guide for exporting apples. Fruit Grower Tasmania.
Research Reports
Leith, Peat, Garcia Imhof, Carolina, Kumar, Saideepa, Adhikari, Rajendra, Baker, Claire, Cumbo, Bronwyn and Evans, Katherine (2019). Aspirations for food and agriculture: final research report and discussion paper for TasAgFuture:. Hobart, TAS, Australia: University of Tasmania.
Nissen, Robert, Bound, Sally, Adhikari, Rajendra and Cover, Ian (2018). Factors affecting postharvest management of apples: a guide to optimising quality. Hobart, TAS, Australia: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.
Theses
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad (2013). Developing agri-food industry in Nepal: a value chain management perspective. PhD Thesis, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland.
Adhikari, Rajendra Prasad (2006). Evaluation of agricultural policies in Nepal : a rice industry perspective. Master's Thesis, School of Natural and Rural Systems Management, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/0cd635e