IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v37y2009i11p1728-1741.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Global Retail Chains and Poor Farmers: Evidence from Madagascar

Author

Listed:
  • Minten, Bart
  • Randrianarison, Lalaina
  • Swinnen, Johan F.M.

Abstract

Summary Global retail companies ("supermarkets") have an increasing influence on developing countries, through foreign investments and/or through the imposition of their private standards. The impact on developing countries and poverty is often assessed as negative. In this paper we show the opposite, based on an analysis of primary data collected to measure the impact of supermarkets on small contract farmers in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost 10,000 farmers in the Highlands of Madagascar produce vegetables for supermarkets in Europe. In this global supply chain, small farmers' micro-contracts are combined with intensive farm assistance and supervision programs to fulfill complex quality requirements and phyto-sanitary standards of supermarkets. Small farmers that participate in these contracts have higher welfare, more income stability and shorter lean periods. We also find significant effects on improved technology adoption, better resource management and spillovers on the productivity of the staple crop rice. The small but emerging modern retail sector in Madagascar does not (yet) deliver these benefits as they do not (yet) request the same high standards for their supplies.

Suggested Citation

  • Minten, Bart & Randrianarison, Lalaina & Swinnen, Johan F.M., 2009. "Global Retail Chains and Poor Farmers: Evidence from Madagascar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 1728-1741, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:37:y:2009:i:11:p:1728-1741
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305-750X(09)00134-X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Humphrey & Neil McCulloch & Masako Ota, 2004. "The impact of European market changes on employment in the Kenyan horticulture sector," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(1), pages 63-80.
    2. Minot, Nicholas & Ngigi, Margaret, 2004. "Are Kenya's horticultural exports a replicable success story?," 2020 vision briefs 12 No. 07, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Fafchamps, Marcel & Gabre-Madhin, Eleni & Minten, Bart, 2005. "Increasing returns and market efficiency in agricultural trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 406-442, December.
    4. Johann Kirsten & Kurt Sartorius, 2002. "Linking agribusiness and small-scale farmers in developing countries: Is there a new role for contract farming?," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(4), pages 503-529.
    5. Nicita, Alessandro & Razzaz, Susan, 2003. "Who benefits and how much? : how gender affects welfare impacts of a booming textile industry," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3029, The World Bank.
    6. Thomas Reardon & C. Peter Timmer & Christopher B. Barrett & Julio Berdegué, 2003. "The Rise of Supermarkets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1140-1146.
    7. C. Dolan & J. Humphrey, 2000. "Governance and Trade in Fresh Vegetables: The Impact of UK Supermarkets on the African Horticulture Industry," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 147-176.
    8. Reardon, Thomas & Barrett, Christopher B., 2000. "Agroindustrialization, globalization, and international development: An overview of issues, patterns, and determinants," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 195-205, September.
    9. Paul Winters & Phil Simmons & Ian Patrick, 2005. "Evaluation of a Hybrid Seed Contract between Smallholders and a Multinational Company in East Java, Indonesia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 62-89.
    10. Dries, Liesbeth & Swinnen, Johan F. M., 2004. "Foreign Direct Investment, Vertical Integration, and Local Suppliers: Evidence from the Polish Dairy Sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(9), pages 1525-1544, September.
    11. Dave Weatherspoon & Joyce Cacho & Ralph Christy, 2004. "Linking Globalization, Economic Growth and Poverty: Impacts of Agribusiness Strategies on Sub-Saharan Africa," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Ralph D Christy (ed.), Achieving Sustainable Communities In A Global Economy Alternative Private Strategies and Public Policies, chapter 2, pages 27-42, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    12. Moser, Christine M. & Barrett, Christopher B., 2003. "The disappointing adoption dynamics of a yield-increasing, low external-input technology: the case of SRI in Madagascar," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 1085-1100, June.
    13. Beghin, John C. & Roland-Holst, David & Van der Mensbrugghe, Dominique, 2002. "Trade and the Environment in General Equilibrium: Evidence from Developing Economies," Staff General Research Papers Archive 4090, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    14. Jaffee, Steven & Henson, Spencer, 2004. "Standards and agro-food exports from developing countries: rebalancing the debate," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3348, The World Bank.
    15. Gow, Hamish R. & Streeter, Deborah H. & Swinnen, Johan F. M., 2000. "How private contract enforcement mechanisms can succeed where public institutions fail: the case of Juhocukor a.s," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 253-265, September.
    16. Dave D. Weatherspoon & Thomas Reardon, 2003. "The Rise of Supermarkets in Africa: Implications for Agrifood Systems and the Rural Poor," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 21, pages 333-355, May.
    17. Key, Nigel & Runsten, David, 1999. "Contract Farming, Smallholders, and Rural Development in Latin America: The Organization of Agroprocessing Firms and the Scale of Outgrower Production," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 381-401, February.
    18. Peter Gibbon, 2003. "Value-chain Governance, Public Regulation and Entry Barriers in the Global Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Chain into the EU," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 21(5-6), pages 615-625, December.
    19. Minten, Bart & Barrett, Christopher B., 2008. "Agricultural Technology, Productivity, and Poverty in Madagascar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 797-822, May.
    20. Thaler, Richard, 1980. "Toward a positive theory of consumer choice," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 39-60, March.
    21. Minot, Nicholas & Ngigi, Margaret, 2004. "Are horticultural exports a replicable success story?," MTID discussion papers 73, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    22. Andriantsoa, Pascal & Andriasendrarivony, Nancy & Haggblade, Steven & Minten, Bart & Rakotojaona, Mamy & Rakotovoavy, Frederick & Razafinimanana, Harivelle Sarindra, 2005. "Media proliferation and democratic transition in Africa: The case of Madagascar," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 1939-1957, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Minten, Bart, 2007. "The food retail revolution in poor countries: Is it coming or is it over? Evidence from Madagascar," IFPRI discussion papers 719, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Tao Xiang & Jikun Huang & d’Artis Kancs & Scott Rozelle & Jo Swinnen, 2012. "Food Standards and Welfare: General Equilibrium Effects," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(2), pages 223-244, June.
    3. Maertens, Miet, 2006. "High-value supply chains, food standards and poor farmers in developing countries: the case of vegetable exports from Senegal," 2006 Annual meeting, July 23-26, Long Beach, CA 21317, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Miet Maertens & Liesbeth Colen & Johan F. M. Swinnen, 2011. "Globalisation and poverty in Senegal: a worst case scenario?," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 31-54, March.
    5. Maertens, Miet & Swinnen, Johan F.M., 2009. "Trade, Standards, and Poverty: Evidence from Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 161-178, January.
    6. Johan F.M. Swinnen & Scott Rozelle & Tao Xiang & Thijs Vandemoortele, 2008. "A Theory of Standards-Driven Rural Development," LICOS Discussion Papers 19908, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    7. Swinnen Johan & Vandeplas Anneleen, 2012. "Rich Consumers and Poor Producers: Quality and Rent Distribution in Global Value Chains," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 2(2), pages 1-30, January.
    8. Barrett, Christopher B., 2008. "Smallholder market participation: Concepts and evidence from eastern and southern Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 299-317, August.
    9. Maertens, Miet & Swinnen, Johan F.M., 2006. "Standards as Barriers and Catalysts for Trade and Poverty Reduction," 2006 Annual Meeting, August 12-18, 2006, Queensland, Australia 25772, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    10. Federica Di Marcantonio & Pavel Ciaian & Vicente Castellanos, 2018. "Unfair trading practices in the dairy farm sector: Evidence from selected EU regions," JRC Research Reports JRC112770, Joint Research Centre (Seville site).
    11. Maertens, Miet & Swinnen, Johan, 2015. "Agricultural trade and development: A value chain perspective," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2015-04, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    12. Weinberger, Katinka & Lumpkin, Thomas A., 2007. "Diversification into Horticulture and Poverty Reduction: A Research Agenda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1464-1480, August.
    13. Bart Minten, 2008. "The Food Retail Revolution in Poor Countries: Is It Coming or Is It Over?," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(4), pages 767-789, July.
    14. Johan Swinnen, 2014. "Global Agricultural Value Chains, Standards, and Development," RSCAS Working Papers 2014/30, European University Institute.
    15. Michelson, Hope & Reardon, Thomas & Perez, Francisco, 2012. "Small Farmers and Big Retail: Trade-offs of Supplying Supermarkets in Nicaragua," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 342-354.
    16. John C. Beghin & Miet Maertens & Johan Swinnen, 2017. "Nontariff Measures and Standards in Trade and Global Value Chains," World Scientific Book Chapters,in: Nontariff Measures and International Trade, chapter 2, pages 13-38 World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    17. John C. Beghin & Miet Maertens & Johan Swinnen, 2017. "Nontariff Measures and Standards in Trade and Global Value Chains," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: John Christopher Beghin (ed.), Nontariff Measures and International Trade, chapter 2, pages 13-38, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    18. Thijs Vandemoortele & Scott Rozelle & Johan Swinnen & Tao Xiang, 2012. "Quality and Inclusion of Producers in Value Chains: A Theoretical Note," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 122-136, February.
    19. Van Herck, Kristine, 2011. "Where have all the farmers gone? EU Accession and Structural Change in Bulgaria," 2011 International Congress, August 30-September 2, 2011, Zurich, Switzerland 114829, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Suzuki, Aya & Jarvis, Lovell S. & Sexton, Richard J., 2011. "Partial Vertical Integration, Risk Shifting, and Product Rejection in the High-Value Export Supply Chain: The Ghana Pineapple Sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(9), pages 1611-1623, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:37:y:2009:i:11:p:1728-1741. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.