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Cooperative membership and coffee productivity in Rwanda’s specialty coffee sector

Author

Listed:
  • David L. Ortega

    (Michigan State University)

  • Aniseh S. Bro

    (Appalachian State University)

  • Daniel C. Clay

    (Michigan State University)

  • Maria Claudia Lopez

    (Michigan State University)

  • Espoir Tuyisenge

    (The University of British Columbia)

  • Ruth Ann Church

    (Michigan State University)

  • Alfred R. Bizoza

    (University of Rwanda)

Abstract

This study uses data from 1,024 coffee producing households to address two critical questions regarding the role of cooperatives in Rwanda’s coffee sector: Does cooperative membership increase adoption of best practices and coffee productivity? and do cooperatives improve farm household welfare? Using a propensity score matching technique to account for selection bias, we find that cooperatives are a critical institution for building farmer capacity, promoting adoption of improved technologies and inputs, and increasing productivity. We discuss the role that cooperatives can play in increasing farmer welfare and reestablishing the coffee sector as a pillar of growth in the country.

Suggested Citation

  • David L. Ortega & Aniseh S. Bro & Daniel C. Clay & Maria Claudia Lopez & Espoir Tuyisenge & Ruth Ann Church & Alfred R. Bizoza, 2019. "Cooperative membership and coffee productivity in Rwanda’s specialty coffee sector," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 11(4), pages 967-979, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:11:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s12571-019-00952-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-019-00952-9
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    3. Ahmet Candemir & Sabine Duvaleix & Laure Latruffe, 2021. "Agricultural Cooperatives And Farm Sustainability – A Literature Review," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1118-1144, September.
    4. Juanjuan Cheng & Qian Wang & Dongjian Li & Jin Yu, 2022. "Comparative Analysis of Environmental and Economic Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives and Smallholder Farmers for Apple Production in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Blekking, Jordan & Gatti, Nicolas & Waldman, Kurt & Evans, Tom & Baylis, Kathy, 2021. "The benefits and limitations of agricultural input cooperatives in Zambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. De Carvalho Reis Neves, Mateus & Freitas, Carlos Otavio & De Figueiredo Silva, Felipe, 2021. "Does cooperative membership increase rural income? Evidence from Brazilian agricultural sector," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 314006, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Neves, Mateus & Silva, Felipe de Figueiredo & de Freitas, Carlos Otávio, 2021. "Does Cooperative Membership Increase Rural Income? Evidence from Brazil’s Agricultural Sector," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315268, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Gerard, Andrew & Lopez, Maria Claudia & Mason, Nicole M. & Bizoza, Alfred R., 2022. "Do government zoning policies improve buyer-farmer relationships? Evidence from Rwanda’s coffee sector," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    9. Kwabena Nyarko Addai & Wencong Lu & Omphile Temoso, 2021. "Are Female Rice Farmers Less Productive than Male Farmers? Micro-evidence from Ghana," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(6), pages 1997-2039, December.
    10. Wanglin Ma & Sanghyun Hong & W. Robert Reed & Jianhua Duan & Phong Luu, 2023. "Yield effects of agricultural cooperative membership in developing countries: A meta‐analysis," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 761-780, September.
    11. Zheng, Hongyun & Ma, Wanglin & Wang, Fang & Li, Gucheng, 2021. "Does internet use improve technical efficiency of banana production in China? Evidence from a selectivity-corrected analysis," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    12. Chih‐Yu Yang & Ching‐Cheng Lu & Yung‐Ho Chiu & Tai‐Yu Lin, 2022. "Analysis of coffee production efficiency and productivity strategy in African and non‐African countries," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(4), pages 946-969, October.
    13. Jolanta Droždz & Vlada Vitunskienė & Lina Novickytė, 2021. "Profile of the Small-Scale Farms Willing to Cooperate—Evidence from Lithuania," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-21, October.
    14. Yuanyuan Peng & H. Holly Wang & Yueshu Zhou, 2022. "Can cooperatives help commercial farms to access credit in China? Evidence from Jiangsu Province," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 70(4), pages 325-349, December.
    15. Wanglin Ma & Hongyun Zheng & Yueji Zhu & Jianling Qi, 2022. "Effects of cooperative membership on financial performance of banana farmers in China: A heterogeneous analysis," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(1), pages 5-27, March.
    16. Jasper Grashuis & Theodoros Skevas, 2023. "What is the benefit of membership in farm producer organizations? The case of coffee producers in Peru," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(2), pages 423-443, June.
    17. Mateus de Carvalho Reis Neves & Felipe de Figueiredo Silva & Carlos Otávio de Freitas & Marcelo José Braga, 2021. "The Role of Cooperatives in Brazilian Agricultural Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-15, September.
    18. Johanna Gather & Meike Wollni, 2022. "Setting the standard: Does Rainforest Alliance Certification increase environmental and socio‐economic outcomes for small‐scale coffee producers in Rwanda?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1807-1825, December.

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