IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/iaae24/344305.html

Conflict, Inclusivity, and Transformation of the Rice Value Chain in Myanmar

Author

Listed:
  • Goeb, Joseph
  • Minten, Bart
  • Aung, Nilar
  • Aung, Zin Wai
  • Zu, A Myint
  • Htar, May Thet

Abstract

In numerous low- and middle-income countries, agricultural value chains (AVC) are undergoing rapid transformation, yet scant evidence exists regarding such changes in fragile and conflict- affected settings, and little is known about inclusivity in this transformation. This study focuses on changes in Myanmar's rice value chain - using unique large-scale primary data - from 2013 to 2022, during an economic boom and subsequent political upheaval and conflict. We document remarkable shifts, including a fourfold increase in rice exports, propelling Myanmar to the world's fifth-largest rice exporter. Concurrently, domestic market conditions improved, and there was modernization in the ‘hidden middle’ of the value chain including increased investments in modern milling equipment and drying methods. At the farm level we note greater adoption of modern inputs (e.g., improved seed) and harvest/post-harvest technologies and increased reliance on modern specialized service providers. The transformation was not everywhere inclusive, and modernization in some areas decelerated due to conflict. Mills and farms in insecure and conflict-affected areas, as well as remote millers and smallholders, participated to a lesser extent, and the gaps widened during the crisis years. The rapid modernization in Myanmar’s rice value chain from 2013 to 2019 highlights the positive impacts of stable governance, infrastructure investment, and liberalization on AVC transformation while the observed variations in modernization inclusivity across different segments of the value chain underscore the complex interplay between governance, conflict, and AVC transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Goeb, Joseph & Minten, Bart & Aung, Nilar & Aung, Zin Wai & Zu, A Myint & Htar, May Thet, 2024. "Conflict, Inclusivity, and Transformation of the Rice Value Chain in Myanmar," IAAE 2024 Conference, August 2-7, 2024, New Delhi, India 344305, International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iaae24:344305
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.344305
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/344305/files/21153.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.344305?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barrett, Christopher B. & Bachke, Maren E. & Bellemare, Marc F. & Michelson, Hope C. & Narayanan, Sudha & Walker, Thomas F., 2012. "Smallholder Participation in Contract Farming: Comparative Evidence from Five Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 715-730.
    2. 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.
    3. Ines A. Ferreira & Vincenzo Salvucci & Finn Tarp, 2021. "Poverty and vulnerability transitions in Myanmar: An analysis using synthetic panels," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 1919-1944, November.
    4. Keijiro Otsuka & Yukichi Mano & Kazushi Takahashi (ed.), 2023. "Rice Green Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa," Natural Resource Management and Policy, Springer, number 978-981-19-8046-6, March.
    5. 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.
    6. Diao, Xinshen, ed. & Takeshima, Hiroyuki. ed. & Zhang, Xiaobo, ed., 2020. "An evolving paradigm of agricultural mechanization development: How much can Africa learn from Asia? Synopsis," IFPRI synopses 1224277378, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    7. World Bank, 2014. "Myanmar : Capitalizing on Rice Export Opportunities," World Bank Publications - Reports 17278, The World Bank Group.
    8. Benjamin Davis & Leslie Lipper & Paul Winters, 2022. "Do not transform food systems on the backs of the rural poor," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(3), pages 729-740, June.
    9. David Dawe & Steven Jaffee & Nuno Santos, 2014. "Rice in the Shadow of Skyscrapers : Policy Choices in a Dynamic East and Southeast Asian Setting," World Bank Publications - Reports 20797, The World Bank Group.
    10. Diao, Xinshen & Takeshima, Hiroyuki & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2020. "An evolving paradigm of agricultural mechanization development: How much can Africa learn from Asia?," IFPRI books, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), number 9780896293809.
    11. Johan F. M. Swinnen & Miet Maertens, 2007. "Globalization, privatization, and vertical coordination in food value chains in developing and transition countries," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 37(s1), pages 89-102, December.
    12. Boughton, Duncan & Goeb, Joseph & Lambrecht, Isabel & Headey, Derek & Takeshima, Hiroyuki & Mahrt, Kristi & Masias, Ian & Goudet, Sophie & Ragasa, Catherine & Maredia, Mywish K. & Minten, Bart & Diao,, 2021. "Impacts of COVID-19 on agricultural production and food systems in late transforming Southeast Asia: The case of Myanmar," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    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:cfcp15:344305 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Lambrecht, Isabel Brigitte & Ragasa, Catherine, 2018. "Do development projects crowd-out private sector activities? Evidence from contract farming participation in Northern Ghana," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 9-22.
    3. Lambrecht, Isabel & Ragasa, Catherine, 2016. "Do development projects crowd out private-sector activities? A survival analysis of contract farming participation in northern Ghana," IFPRI discussion papers 1575, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Vlaeminck, Pieter & Vranken, Liesbet & Van Den Broeck, Goedele & Vande Velde, Katrien & Raymaekers, Karen & Maertens, Miet, 2015. "Farmers’ preferences for Fair Trade contracting in Benin," Working Papers 225931, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    5. Hiroyuki Takeshima & Ian Masias & Myat Thida Win & Phoo Pye Zone, 2023. "Effects of COVID‐19 restrictions on mechanization service providers and mechanization equipment retailers: Insights from phone surveys in Myanmar," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 323-351, February.
    6. Ola, Oreoluwa & Menapace, Luisa, 2020. "A meta-analysis understanding smallholder entry into high-value markets," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    7. Brown, Brendan & Paudel, Gokul P. & Krupnik, Timothy J., 2021. "Visualising adoption processes through a stepwise framework: A case study of mechanisation on the Nepal Terai," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    8. Christopher B. Barrett & Miguel I. Gόmez, 2025. "Fostering Healthy, Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Agri‐Food Value Chains," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 56(3), pages 390-400, May.
    9. Viet Hoang & Vinh Nguyen, 2023. "Determinants of small farmers' participation in contract farming in developing countries: A study in Vietnam," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(3), pages 836-853, July.
    10. Ebata, Ayako & Pacheco, Pamela Alejandra & Cramon-Taubadel, Stephan von, 2015. "Distance to market and farm-gate prices of staple beans in rural Nicaragua," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211582, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Soullier, Guillaume & Moustier, Paule, 2018. "Impacts of contract farming in domestic grain chains on farmer income and food insecurity. Contrasted evidence from Senegal," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 179-198.
    12. Upton, Joanna B. & Lentz, Erin C., 2016. "Finding Default? Understanding the drivers of default on contracts with farmers’ organizations under the World Food Programme Purchase for Progress Pilot," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235656, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Eunice Adu Donkor & Elena Garnevska & Muhammad Imran Siddique & Emmanuel Donkor, 2021. "Determinants of Rice Farmer Participation in the Direct Marketing Channel in Ghana," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, April.
    14. Riera, Olivia & Swinnen, Johan, 2016. "Household level spillover effects from biofuels: Evidence from castor in Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 55-65.
    15. van der Lee, Jan & Oosting, Simon & Klerkx, Laurens & Opinya, Felix & Bebe, Bockline Omedo, 2020. "Effects of proximity to markets on dairy farming intensity and market participation in Kenya and Ethiopia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    16. Biggeri, Mario & Carraro, Alessandro & Ciani, Federico & Romano, Donato, 2022. "Disentangling the impact of a multiple-component project on SDG dimensions: The case of durum wheat value chain development in Oromia (Ethiopia)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    17. Ragasa, Catherine & Lambrecht, Isabel & Kufoalor, Doreen S., 2018. "Limitations of Contract Farming as a Pro-poor Strategy: The Case of Maize Outgrower Schemes in Upper West Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 30-56.
    18. Tabe-Ojong, Martin Paul Jr. & Nana, Ibrahim & Zimmermann, Andrea & Jafari, Yaghoob, 2024. "Trends and evolution of global value chains in food and agriculture: Implications for food security and nutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    19. Prabhu Pingali & Mathew Abraham, 2022. "Food systems transformation in Asia – A brief economic history," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(6), pages 895-910, November.
    20. Daum, Thomas & Villalba, Roberto & Anidi, Oluwakayode & Mayienga, Sharon Masakhwe & Gupta, Saurabh & Birner, Regina, 2021. "Uber for tractors? Opportunities and challenges of digital tools for tractor hire in India and Nigeria," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    21. Mishra, Ashok K. & Kumar, Anjani & Joshi, Pramod K. & D'souza, Alwin, 2016. "Impact of contracts in high yielding varieties seed production on profits and yield: The case of Nepal," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 110-121.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ags:iaae24:344305. 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: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iaaeeea.html .

    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.