Crop diversification and trade liberalization: Linking global trade and local management through a regional case study

Abstract

Some models anticipate that liberalized agricultural trade will lead to increased crop diversity, while other models make the opposite claim. These positions were explored in southwestern British Columbia, Canada where, between 1992 and 1998, government subsidies and other measures designed to protect horticultural farmers were lifted, exposing these farmers to foreign competition. Public hearings on the future of agriculture provided an opportunity to tap the knowledge and experience of people affected by this transition. Analysis of transcripts from these hearings, which was confirmed by industry data, shows that trade liberalization has led to the loss of the local fruit and vegetable processing industry. Stakeholders saw the loss as a major factor affecting the choice of crops grown locally. To test this assertion, crop diversity data were analyzed, differentiating crops grown for the processing industry from those grown for the fresh market. Results show that crop diversity increased for processing crops but not for fresh crops. Farmers who used to produce commodities for the fruit and vegetable processing industry seem to have been forced to find new crops to cope with the decline in the processing industry. Here then is a case where the effects of trade were indirect (they were mediated by another variable: the loss of the processing industry) and variable (they differed for the two groups of crops). This may have significant environmental implications as scientific research shows that diverse agro-ecosystems are better able to withstand pest outbreaks and require less agri-chemicals than simple systems.

Spatio-temporal analysis of crop rotations and crop sequence patterns in Northern Germany: potential implications on plant health and crop protection

“…• inclusion of breaking phases to decrease population dynamics of pests and weeds (Cardina et al 2002, Liebman & Dyck 1993, Kirkegaard et al 2008); • providing better nutritional conditions for crop growth due to a suitable pre-crop (Soon & Clayton 2002, Stanger et al 2008); • optimizing farm income and labour allocation (Castellazzi et al 2007, Fraser 2006); • providing a key element of agroecology and biodiversity on farm and landscape level (Altieri 1999, McLaughlin & Mineau 1995.…”

Factors underlying farm diversification: the case of Western Australia’s olive farmers

“…However, one of the risks involved in niche markets is that they can quickly suffer the problem of oversupply as a result of increasing competition within markets both locally and internationally (Gasson 1988). Consequently, this issue often results in a situation where those involved in niche industries feel the need to diversify as a means to maximise their chances of economic survival (Fraser 2006). The decision to diversify, however, involves a certain amount of risk, and farmers must consider a variety of factors when making such a decision.…”

“…Not all farmers, however, are choosing to diversify. While there is evidence that some farmers diversify when negative circumstances occur within their industry (Fraser 2006), the question of why some farmers choose not to diversify while others do remains a largely unexplored issue in the literature. Instead, the focus of much previous research has been solely on the factors leading farmers to diversify without much attention paid to those who do not.…”

Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change in Dryland Livelihood Systems: Conceptual Challenges and Interdisciplinary Solutions

“…Also, the effect of policies, demographic trends, cultural beliefs, ideologies, or market forces on these three factors will depend on local context. For example, there is a considerable literature that shows the effect that economic growth and economic globalization have on farm agrodiversity depends on non-farm issues such as access to markets and available labor pools (Fraser 2006). As such, the specific indicators used to assess each of these components need to be grounded in local conditions.…”