Providing a multi-objective sustainable distribution network of agricultural items considering uncertainty and time window using meta-heuristic algorithms

In this article, a sustainable network of distribution of agricultural items with suppliers, distribution centers, and retailers is considered. The main purpose of presenting the mathematical model in this article is to determine the optimal number and location of suppliers, assigning suppliers to distribution centers and optimal routing for the distribution of agricultural items to retailers in a predefined time window. Also, determining the optimal amount of inventory and the reorder point in retailers and distribution centers is another problem decision. To model the problem, some parameters of the model were considered non-deterministic and were controlled by the probabilistic fuzzy method. The results of solving numerical examples in different sizes showed that with the increase of the total costs of the distribution network of agricultural items, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions decreases, and the employment rate increases. Also, with the increase of the uncertainty rate, due to the increase of the real demand and the change in the optimal amount of production, distribution, storage and reorder point, the values of all the objective functions also increase. It was also observed by solving different numerical examples with NSGA II and MOGWO algorithms, these algorithms have been able to solve the problem in a much shorter period than the epsilon constraint method, and comparison indicators such as NPF, MSI, SM, and computing time show These algorithms have a high efficiency in solving numerical examples of the problem of the distribution network of agricultural items.