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Agri-food Value Chain Revolutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher B. Barrett
  • Thomas Reardon
  • Johan Swinnen
  • David Zilberman

Abstract

Agri-food value chains (AVCs) intermediate the flow of products between largely rural farmers, fisherfolk, or herders and increasingly urban consumers. The theoretical models that historically structured research on the economic development process assumed away AVC functions, however, and AVC firms and workers were necessarily omitted from the household data that generated most empirical findings in the agricultural and development economics literatures. As a result, the discipline has somewhat overlooked the rapid growth and structural change in AVCs over the past few decades that turned AVCs into major employers and sources of value addition, as well as key loci for technology transfer and foreign investment. This paper offers an integrated, structured, empirical narrative of how and why AVC revolutions occur in developing countries, the impacts of those changes, and the abundant economic research opportunities these structural changes afford economists.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher B. Barrett & Thomas Reardon & Johan Swinnen & David Zilberman, 2022. "Agri-food Value Chain Revolutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 1316-1377, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:60:y:2022:i:4:p:1316-77
    DOI: 10.1257/jel.20201539
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Koen Deconinck & Marion Jansen & Carla Barisone, 2023. "Fast and furious: the rise of environmental impact reporting in food systems," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(4), pages 1310-1337.
    2. Sinne Borby Ørtenblad & Marianne Nylandsted Larsen & Thilde Bech Bruun & Daniel Ortiz-Gonzalo, 2023. "Smallholder Participation in Modernising Agri-Food Value Chains in Thailand: The Role of Traditional Markets," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(6), pages 1419-1439, December.
    3. Dauda A. Busari & Demilade Kayode & Olawale Y. Olonade & Tayo O. George, 2024. "Impacts of border closure policy on entrepreneurial activities in selected main markets in Ibadan, Southwest, Nigeria," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. De Janvry, Alain & Cisse, Abdoulaye & Trachtman, Carly D. & Sadoulet, Elisabeth & Syll, Mame Mor Anta, 2023. "Understanding Value Chain Structure and Functionality: The Domestic Onion Value Chain in Senegal," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335466, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Montalbano, Pierluigi & Nenci, Silvia, 2022. "Does global value chain participation and positioning in the agriculture and food sectors affect economic performance? A global assessment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    6. Ying Sun & Jin Fan & Weiguo Jia, 2023. "Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak Intensify the Resource Misallocation in China’s Food Production?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Kym Anderson & Anna Strutt, 2023. "From re-instrumenting to re-purposing farm support policies," Departmental Working Papers 2023-04, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    8. Glauben, Thomas & Svanidze, Miranda, 2023. "Globaler Agrarhandel: Robustes Sicherheitsnetzzur Reduktion von Hungerrisiken in Krisenzeiten," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 103(7), pages 491-499.
    9. T S Jayne & Shamie Zingore & Amadou Ibra Niang & Cheryl Palm & Pedro Sanchez, 2023. "Building twenty-first century agricultural research and extension capacity in Africa," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(5), pages 1824-1846.
    10. Ma, Meilin, 2023. "Interdependent investments in attached and movable assets under insecure land rights," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Melaku, Astewale Bimr & Debela, Bethelhem Legesse & Qaim, Matin, 2023. "Women’s employment in high-value agriculture and child nutrition: Evidence from the Ethiopian cut-flower industry," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335848, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. Mahmoud Tarhini, 2022. "Consumption and Consumer Behaviour of Organic AGRI-FOOD Products," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(1), pages 136-149, March.
    13. Melaku, Astewale Bimr & Qaim, Matin & Debela, Bethelhem Legesse, 2023. "Maternal employment in high-value agriculture and child nutrition: Evidence from the Ethiopian cut-flower industry," Discussion Papers 338968, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    14. Palatnik, Ruslana Rachel & Freer, Mikhail & Levin, Mark & Golberg, Alexander & Zilberman, David, 2023. "Algae-Based Two-Stage Supply Chain with Co-Products," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    15. Kym Anderson, 2024. "Repurposing agricultural support policies for shared prosperity in rural Fiji," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), January.
    16. Stemmler, Henry & Meemken, Eva-Marie, 2023. "Greenhouse farming and employment: Evidence from Ecuador," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q17 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agriculture in International Trade

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