Structuring and creating alternatives for the eggplant loss problem using the value-focused thinking methodology

Eggplants are a short shelf-life vegetable, whose exports generate a significant income for Mexican horticultural companies. However, when the market's price is down or the product quality does not fulfill the market's requirements, eggplants are not exported, and given a lack of demand in the domestic market not all the crops can be commercialized This situation generates financial problems for companies, unemployment for people, and environmental problems, among others. To reduce eggplant losses, it is necessary to understand the issues, and the structure of the problem, to generate solution alternatives. In this work, the Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) methodology was applied in a horticultural farm in Sinaloa, Mexico, to obtain values from a decision-maker to structure the eggplant's loss problem, its objectives, and generating solution alternatives. This article presents a structured problem of eggplant postharvest loss, which includes one strategic objective, five fundamental objectives, nine means-ends objectives, and twenty-seven solution alternatives such as applying protected agriculture technology, selling waste as food for livestock, and designing a new product based on eggplant. Through the results of the application of VFT methodology, the decision-maker understood the eggplant loss problem and its value, which will be reflected in benefits for the horticultural farm.