Refining the smallholder market integration framework: A qualitative study of Ethiopian pastoralists

Abstract

The continued interest in market access and market integration policies targeting small-scale agricultural producers has led researchers to further explore the theoretical underpinnings of these concepts. This study presents an in-depth qualitative investigation into the behavioral consequences of market integration for Ethiopian pastoralists. The findings show that pastoralists further strengthen their strategic connection to the market by the processes of market sensing and market responding, which enable them to offer livestock with the quality attributes demanded by buyers. Pastoralists engaging in these activities typically generate more revenue from the market, thereby improving their livelihoods. They are also more capable of adapting to changes in natural conditions and are more likely to change their lifestyles. These findings imply that policymakers should not only foster the market participation of small-scale agricultural producers, but also ensure that producers align their products with the wants and needs of customers by sensing and responding to their market.

A Double Hurdle Estimation of Sales Decisions by Smallholder Beef Cattle Farmers in Eswatini

“…Since economic development debates and policies are market-centric [34], smallholder farmers' market participation is a fundamental tool for economic development in agriculture-based economies [12]. Coupled with enabling policy frameworks, commercialized agriculture propagates income, productivity and employment growth [35][36][37][38].…”

Customer value creation in a natural resource-scarce environment: the role of market knowledge in adaptation and sustainability

“…They herd livestock primarily for their personal consumption of milk and meat, as well as for commercial endeavors that enable them to buy complementary food items, healthcare, and schooling for their children (Barrett, 2008). Recent decades, however, have witnessed a fundamental shift, in which pastoralists are increasingly integrating into local and international supply chains (Tessema et al, 2019). These larger networks are increasingly looking to pastoralists as important sources of live animals (e.g., camels, cattle, goats, and sheep) to meet the increasing demand for protein-rich foods.…”

“…During the last few decades, however, a fundamental change has been taking place in the traditional pastoral system; the pastoralists are increasingly integrating into local and international supply chains (Catley et al, 2013;Tessema, Ingenbleek, & van Trijp, 2019). As a result, the pastoralists start to breed and fatten livestock for markets such that they meet the needs of live animal traders and their own needs for food.…”

“…However, producing livestock for markets might require them to pursue a fundamentally different way of using natural resources, namely, to create value for customers and make profits, which is completely different from what they used to in the traditional pastoralism. Recent studies (e.g., Tessema et al, 2019) show that pastoralism is increasingly becoming and seen as livestock breeding and fattening business. Like any other business, knowledge about the needs of customers and competing offerings is strategically important for the pastoralists to competitively create and deliver market offerings that satisfy the requirements of…”

“…Chapter 1 their target customers (Ingenbleek, Tessema, & van Trijp, 2013;Teklehaimanot, Ingenbleek, Tessema, & van Trijp, 2017). With increasing market integration, the pastoralists are also accumulating knowledge about the needs of customers and competing offerings (Teklehaimanot et al, 2017;Tessema et al, 2019). Hence, with market integration, they most likely combine two types of knowledge: the traditional ecological knowledge about adaptation to natural resource scarcity and the market knowledge about the needs and requirements of markets.…”