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Formal institutions and social capital in value chains: The case of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange

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  • Meijerink, Gerdien
  • Bulte, Erwin
  • Alemu, Dawit

Abstract

We explore whether the creation of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) and its formal monitoring and enforcement institutions has affected social capital and trust in the Ethiopian segment of the sesame value chain. Consistent with a simple theoretical marketing model, our panel data suggest this is indeed the case. Trade in sesame is increasingly governed by formal rather than informal institutions, and in response traders have broadened their trading network, rely more frequently on traders with whom they do not have social relations, and have reduced the provision of credit that cements personalized relationships. They also have lower levels of trust in the intentions and capabilities of their trading partners, and attach less weight to trust.

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  • Meijerink, Gerdien & Bulte, Erwin & Alemu, Dawit, 2014. "Formal institutions and social capital in value chains: The case of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 1-12.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:49:y:2014:i:p1:p:1-12
    DOI: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.05.015
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    4. Hailemariam Ayalew & Dagim G. Belay, 2020. "The Ethiopian Commodity Exchange and Spatial Price Dispersion: Disentangling Warehouse and Price Information effects," IFRO Working Paper 2020/01, University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics.
    5. Liesbeth Dries & Domenico Dentoni, 2015. "Private sector investments to create market-supporting institutions: The case of Malawian Agricultural Commodity Exchange," Working Papers 2015/08, Maastricht School of Management.
    6. Dagim G. Belay & Hailemariam Ayalew, 2020. "Nudging farmers in crop choice using price information: Evidence from Ethiopian Commodity Exchange," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(5), pages 793-808, September.
    7. Fekadu Gelaw & Stijn Speelman & Guido Huylenbroeck, 2017. "Impacts of Institutional Intervention on Price Transmissions: The Case of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 88-106, November.
    8. Gelaw, Fekadu & Speelman, Stijn & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2016. "Farmers’ marketing preferences in local coffee markets: Evidence from a choice experiment in Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 92-102.
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