IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wodepe/v33y2024ics2452292923000681.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investigating the inclusiveness of the usipa value chain in Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Muhonda, Park
  • Rice, Emma
  • Bennett, Abigail
  • Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O.
  • Belton, Ben
  • Abaidoo, Eric

Abstract

Value chain research increasingly seeks to assess the inclusiveness of value chains to better understand how to promote equitable and pro-poor development. This trend is especially relevant for small-scale fisheries value chains, which provide livelihoods, food security, and a social safety net for rural poor in many countries. Despite recent efforts to assess value chain inclusiveness, substantial knowledge gaps persist in small-scale fisheries value chains with respect to distribution of and access to benefits within and across different value chain nodes, particularly in the midstream (e.g. traders and processors). This study addresses this important research gap by utilizing an access mapping approach concerned with the distribution of benefits along the value chain for usipa (Engraulicypris sardella) in Malawi. Using a mixed methods approach, this analysis utilizes quantitative survey data (n = 929) at various nodes of the usipa value chain (fishers, processors, wholesalers, retailers), as well as qualitative focus group data (n = 60) and key informant interviews (n = 6), all collected in 2019. In line with the Structure-Conduct-Performance Paradigm, this study identifies value chain actors’ roles (structure), analyzes processes (conduct), and assesses the distribution of and access to income and in-kind benefits for different actors both within and across value chain nodes (performance). We calculate net income (revenues – expenses) for individual actors in each node of the value chain and find that (a) access to and distribution of income benefits from usipa vary substantially at group and individual levels; and (b) actors’ net income from the usipa value chain is negatively affected by unequal power distribution, price volatility and trade institutions, inadequate market infrastructure, social relations, and gender dynamics. This study advances approaches to study value chain inclusiveness, emphasizing the need to attend to variation and drivers acting at multiple scales, ranging from whole value chain structure to individual traders.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhonda, Park & Rice, Emma & Bennett, Abigail & Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O. & Belton, Ben & Abaidoo, Eric, 2024. "Investigating the inclusiveness of the usipa value chain in Malawi," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wodepe:v:33:y:2024:i:c:s2452292923000681
    DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2023.100552
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452292923000681
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.wdp.2023.100552?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

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

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jesse C. Ribot, 1998. "Theorizing Access: Forest Profits along Senegal's Charcoal Commodity Chain," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 29(2), pages 307-341, April.
    2. Kingdom Simfukwe & Moses Majid Limuwa & Friday Njaya, 2022. "Are Chilimira Fishers of Engraulicypris sardella ( Günther , 1868) in Lake Malawi Productive? The Case of Nkhotakota District," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Elin Torell & Chikondi Manyungwa-Pasani & Danielle Bilecki & Innocent Gumulira & Gordon Yiwombe, 2021. "Assessing and Advancing Gender Equity in Lake Malawi’s Small-Scale Fisheries Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Thomas Reardon & Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie & Bart Minten, 2021. "Quiet Revolution by SMEs in the midstream of value chains in developing regions: wholesale markets, wholesalers, logistics, and processing," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(6), pages 1577-1594, December.
    5. Friday Njaya, 2009. "Governance of Lake Chilwa common pool resources: evolution and conflicts," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 663-676.
    6. Lenis Saweda O Liverpool‐Tasie & Charuta M. Parkhi, 2021. "Climate Risk and Technology Adoption in the Midstream of Crop Value Chains: Evidence from Nigerian Maize Traders," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 158-179, February.
    7. Thomas Reardon, 2015. "The hidden middle: the quiet revolution in the midstream of agrifood value chains in developing countries," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 31(1), pages 45-63.
    8. Nunan, Fiona, 2006. "Empowerment and institutions: Managing fisheries in Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 1316-1332, July.
    9. Xavier Basurto & Abigail Bennett & Emilie Lindkvist & Maja Schlüter, 2020. "Governing the commons beyond harvesting: An empirical illustration from fishing," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, April.
    10. Johan Swinnen & Rob Kuijpers, 2020. "Inclusive Value Chains to Accelerate Poverty Reduction in Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 33397, The World Bank Group.
    11. Sitko, Nicholas J. & Jayne, T.S., 2014. "Exploitative Briefcase Businessmen, Parasites, and Other Myths and Legends: Assembly Traders and the Performance of Maize Markets in Eastern and Southern Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 56-67.
    12. Johan Swinnen & Rob Kuijpers, 2020. "Inclusive Value Chains to Accelerate Poverty Reduction in Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 33397, The World Bank Group.
    13. Nils Nölle & Sven Genschick & Klaus Schwadorf & Holger Hrenn & Sonja Brandner & Hans Konrad Biesalski, 2020. "Fish as a source of (micro)nutrients to combat hidden hunger in Zambia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(6), pages 1385-1406, December.
    14. Moses Majid Limuwa & Wales Singini & Trond Storebakken, 2018. "Is Fish Farming an Illusion for Lake Malawi Riparian Communities under Environmental Changes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    15. Trienekens, Jacques H., 2011. "Agricultural Value Chains in Developing Countries A Framework for Analysis," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 14(2), pages 1-32, May.
    16. Wiegand, Kenneth & Steen, Dwight, 1989. "Peasant Exploitation Revisited: Role of Producer Preferences in Red Bean Markets in the Dominican Republic," 1989 Occasional Paper Series No. 5 197710, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Brian Dillon & Chelsey Dambro, 2017. "How Competitive Are Crop Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 99(5), pages 1344-1361.
    18. Abebe Ejigu Alemu & Hossein Azadi, 2018. "Fish Value Chain and Its Impact on Rural Households’ Income: Lessons Learned from Northern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, October.
    19. Damian Boniface Sambuo & Stephen Kirama & Kitala Malamsha, 2021. "Fish Price Determination Around Lake Victoria, Tanzania: Analysis of Factors Affecting Fish Landing Price," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 22(2), pages 348-363, April.
    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. repec:ags:aaea22:335810 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Ambler, Kate & de Brauw, Alan & Herskowitz, Sylvan & Pulido, Cristhian, 2023. "Viewpoint: Finance needs of the agricultural midstream," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    3. Thai Thi Minh & Charity Osei‐Amponsah, 2021. "Towards poor‐centred value chain for sustainable development: A conceptual framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 1223-1236, November.
    4. Prince B. Annor & Simeon Kaitibie & Michael C. Lyne, 2023. "Heterogeneous impacts of GlobalGAP adoption on net income in small‐scale pineapple farming in Ghana: Does farm size matter?," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(4), pages 1199-1216, October.
    5. van Berkum, Siemen, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 77: The role of trade and policies in improving food security," IFAD Research Series 321997, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    6. Mac Clay, Pablo & Feeney, Roberto & Sellare, Jorge, 2024. "Technology-driven transformations in agri-food global value chains: The role of incumbent firms from a corporate venture capital perspective," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Delera, Michele, 2021. "Is production in global value chains (GVCs) sustainable? A review of the empirical evidence on social and environmental sustainabilitiy in GVCs," PEGNet Policy Studies 04/2020, PEGNet - Poverty Reduction, Equity and Growth Network, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    8. Cheryl O’Brien & Laura Leavens & Cheikh Ndiaye & Djibril Traoré, 2022. "Women’s Empowerment, Income, and Nutrition in a Food Processing Value Chain Development Project in Touba, Senegal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-29, August.
    9. Timu, Anne G. & Hazell, Peter & Savastano, Sara, 2024. "An approach for assessing whether agricultural projects help smallholders transition to better livelihood strategies: A malawian case study," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    10. Addisu A. Lashitew, 2021. "Corporate uptake of the Sustainable Development Goals: Mere greenwashing or an advent of institutional change?," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 184-200, March.
    11. Hossain, Marup & Mendiratta, Vibhuti & Savastano, Sara, 2024. "Agricultural and Rural Development Interventions and Poverty Reduction: Global Evidence from 16 Impact Assessment Studies," IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India 344302, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
    12. Margaret R. Magwedere & Joseph Chisasa & Godfrey Marozva, 2022. "Examining the Causal Relationship between Financial Intermediation and Poverty in Selected Developing Countries," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(1), pages 75-84.
    13. Eicke, Laima & Weko, Silvia, 2022. "Does green growth foster green policies? Value chain upgrading and feedback mechanisms on renewable energy policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    14. Zant, Wouter, 2024. "Mobile phones and Mozambique farmers: Less asymmetric information and more trader competition?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    15. Melkani, Aakanksha & Mason, Nicole & Mather, David & Chisanga, Brian & Jayne, Thom, 2021. "Smallholder Market Participation and Choice of Marketing Channel in the Presence of Liquidity Constraints: Evidence from Zambian Maize Markets," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315273, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    16. Nuhu, Ahmed Salim & Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O. & Awokuse, Titus & Kabwe, Stephen, 2021. "Do benefits of expanded midstream activities in crop value chains accrue to smallholder farmers? Evidence from Zambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    17. Kuijpers, Rob, 2020. "Integrated Value Chain Development: Evidence from Bangladesh," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    18. Awal Abdul‐Rahaman & Awudu Abdulai, 2020. "Social networks, rice value chain participation and market performance of smallholder farmers in Ghana," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(2), pages 216-227, June.
    19. Nicholas J. Sitko & Brian Chisanga & David Tschirley & Thomas S. Jayne, 2018. "An evolution in the middle: examining the rise of multinational investment in smallholder grain trading in Zambia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(2), pages 473-488, April.
    20. Mulvaney, Dustin & Krupnik, Timothy J., 2014. "Zero-tolerance for genetic pollution: Rice farming, pharm rice, and the risks of coexistence in California," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 125-131.
    21. Chacha, Peter Wankuru & Kirui, Benard Kipyegon & Wiedemann, Verena, 2024. "Supply Chains in Times of Crisis: Evidence from Kenya’s Production Network," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

    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:wodepe:v:33:y:2024:i:c:s2452292923000681. 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: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/world-development-perspectives .

    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.