Sharecropping in Non-traditional Agro-export Production: The Abougnon Contract for Pineapple Cultivation in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

This article highlights the role of sharecropping in small-scale, non-traditional export production, through the case of pineapple production in Coˆte d'Ivoire. The study reveals the diversity of contractual configurations with respect to the same crop, under the same local term of abougnon. Beyond a description of contractual practices, the article explores the rationale for share contracts in a context of imperfect tenancy, labour and credit markets. The analysis of actors' rationales in entering abougnon contracts points out the role of financing constraints and disequilibrium in the tenancy market. It highlights the secondary role played by transaction costs induced by moral hazard, incentives or -up to the crisis that struck down the sector -production and market risks. This in-depth, localised longitudinal case study relies on first-hand data collected through intensive fieldwork conducted in the village of Djimini-Koffikro in 1983and 2002-2003, updated in 2010 Cet article met en exergue le roˆle du me´tayage dans la production d'exportation non traditionnelle ap etite e´chelle, en s'appuyant sur le cas de la production d'ananas en Coˆte d'Ivoire. L'e´tude re´ve`le la diversite´des configurations contractuelles pour une meˆme culture et sous un meˆme terme local (abougnon). Au dela`d'une description des pratiques contractuelles, cet article examine la logique sous-tendant les contrats de me´tayage dans un contexte ou`les marche´s de location de terre, du travail et du cre´dit sont imparfaits. L'analyse des raisons pour lesquelles les acteurs passent des contrats d'abougnon met en e´vidence le roˆle des contraintes de financement et du de´se´quilibre du marche´locatif. Elle souligne le roˆle secondaire des couˆts de transactions induits par l'ale´a moral, des incitations ou -jusqu'a`la crise qui s'est abattue sur ce secteur -des risques de production et de marche´. Cette e´tude de cas longitudinale, approfondie et localise´e, s'appuie sur des donne´es de premie`re main recueillies graˆce a`un travail intensif de terrain effectue´dans le village de Djimini-

Is the system of rice intensification (SRI) pro poor? Labour, class and technological change in West Africa

“…Also, households who don't belong to landholding families (and are thus perceived 'strangers') can only access land by paying rent or entering sharecropping arrangements (Turner and Moumouni, 2019;Colin, 2012). Consequently, West Africa has active agricultural labour markets where local marginal farmers, labour migrants and youth are common sellers of labour power, i.e.…”

Contractual Practice and Land Conflicts: The ‘Plant & Share’ Arrangement in Côte d'Ivoire

“…The abougnon contract is a labour contract on productive perennial plantations, with a sharing by halves, but it can also correspond to a tenancy arrangement for non‐perennial crops. In abougnon contracts for pineapple production, the tenant undertakes the entire production process: ploughing, supplying and transporting the shoots, supplying herbicide, fertilizers and calcium carbide, and providing labour from planting up to and excluding harvest (Colin ). He also makes all the decisions, including with regard to marketing, and provides the technical know‐how.…”

Coasean method: lessons from the farm

“…For some of the more recent articles on share cropping for which Coase would have approved, see: Bellemare (2009); Simpson (1999, 2012);Colin (2012);Dubois (2002);Garrett and Xu (2003);Luporini and Parigi (1996). For some of the more recent articles on share cropping for which Coase would have approved, see: Bellemare (2009); Simpson (1999, 2012);Colin (2012);Dubois (2002);Garrett and Xu (2003);Luporini and Parigi (1996).…”

“…28The literature on agricultural organization is large. For some of the more recent articles on share cropping for which Coase would have approved, see: Bellemare (2009); Carmona and Simpson (1999, 2012); Colin (2012); Dubois (2002); Garrett and Xu (2003); Luporini and Parigi (1996).…”