The Future of Small Farms

Wiggins, Steve; Kirsten, Johann F.; Llambí, Luis Daniel

doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2009.06.013

Cited by 284 publications

(168 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Some SPCs have modern post-harvest machineries, but they are unable to use them because of insufficiently available electric power. Moreover, most cooperatives cannot get sufficient extension service and rural credit, which are important for production improvement and market success (e.g., Reardon et al 2009;Wiggins, Kirsten, and Llambí 2010).…”

Section: Challenges For Seed Producer Cooperativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Sisay

Verhees

Trijp

2017

Journal of Crop Improvement

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The role of seed producer cooperatives (SPCs) in the Ethiopian seed sector and their contribution to seed supply improvement have received attention from researchers, policymakers, and development partners. However, limited work has been done in reviewing and documenting their involvement in the seed sector development. In this paper, we review and discuss the SPCs in the Ethiopian seed sector. Specifically, we reflect on the contribution of SPCs to improving seed availability and access in the country. The current liberal market system of Ethiopia creates new opportunities for growth as successful enterprises, but also brings new challenges, such as more intense competition for smallholder producers. The government policy encourages SPCs to engage in seed business. We draw on scientific literature, reports, white papers, project documents, and websites. The review reveals that the seed sector in Ethiopia consists of three seed systems: formal, informal, and intermediary seed systems. Each seed system has a specific contribution to the delivery of seed to farmers, but they vary in their approach and respective strategies. The SPCs are categorized in the intermediary seed system because they have features of both formal and informal seed systems. They play a key role in meeting seed demand and contribute greatly to seed supply improvement through high-volume production of seed, crop, and variety diversification, and seed delivery to farmers. They produce and market the seed through various market channels, including direct sales to farmers, sales through contractual agreement, and sales directly to institutional buyers. Their contribution to improving the seed supply and seed security has received considerable recognition by policymakers and development practitioners. Therefore, government and development partners should support and strengthen SPCs to maximize their success in the seed business and their contribution to improving the seed supply in Ethiopia.ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Challenges For Seed Producer Cooperativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Sisay

Verhees

Trijp

2017

Journal of Crop Improvement

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“…With rapidly changing agrarian contexts across Africa, the large-versus-small debate (cf. World Bank 2009; Collier and Dercon 2014;Wiggins, Kirsten, and Llambi 2010) misses important dynamics, as differentiation happens simultaneously across different scales, with diverse factors impinging on outcomes. Changes are effected not just through corporate 'land grabs', but also significant demographic shifts, urbanisation and land acquisitions by local elites (Jayne, Chamberlin, and Headey 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plantations, outgrowers and commercial farming in Africa: agricultural commercialisation and implications for agrarian change

Hall¹,

Scoones

Tsikata

2017

The Journal of Peasant Studies

179

108

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Whether or not investments in African agriculture can generate quality employment at scale, avoid dispossessing local people of their land, promote diversified and sustainable livelihoods, and catalyse more vibrant local economies depends on what farming model is pursued. In this Forum, we build on recent scholarship by discussing the key findings of our recent studies in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. We examined cases of three models of agricultural commercialisation, characterised by different sets of institutional arrangements that link land, labour and capital. The three models are: plantations or estates with on-farm processing; contract farming and outgrower schemes; and medium-scale commercial farming areas. Building on core debates in the critical agrarian studies literature, we identify commercial farming areas and contract farming as producing the most local economic linkages, and plantations/estates as producing more jobs, although these are of low quality and mostly casual. We point to the gender and generational dynamics emerging in the three models, which reflect the changing demand for family and wage labour. Models of agricultural commercialisation do not always deliver what is expected of them in part because local conditions play a critical role in the unfolding outcomes for land relations, labour regimes, livelihoods and local economies.

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“…Moreover, there are numerous evidences that small farms could be less efficient in terms of labor productivity (ibid.). Wiggins et al (2010) conclude that distinct advantages of small farms are present in cases when the main agricultural input is family labor and there is very little use of external inputs, the production is chiefly for home consumption with whatever surpluses sold to small-scale traders.…”

Section: Farm Size and Productivity: An Inverse Relationship?mentioning

confidence: 94%

Small Farms: Changing Structures and Roles in Economic Development

Braun

Mirzabaev

2015

SSRN Journal

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in AbstractSmall farms are the largest employment and small business group among the poor. Their businesses use mostly labor and local resources and face local constraints, but at the same time, they are affected by increasingly complex national and global economic changes, which lead to shifts in optimality and viability of structures and of their business priorities. This paper identifies basic forces of change in the small farm economy, proposes policies that may support productive and socially acceptable transformations, and highlights research priorities. The paper concludes that policies should primarily focus on people's income opportunities in the rural economy, where small farmers often hold multiple farm and non-farm jobs, rather than be narrowly concerned with viability of the small scale farm enterprise.

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The Future of Small Farms

Cited by 284 publications

References 10 publications

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Seed producer cooperatives in the Ethiopian seed sector and their role in seed supply improvement: A review

Plantations, outgrowers and commercial farming in Africa: agricultural commercialisation and implications for agrarian change

Small Farms: Changing Structures and Roles in Economic Development

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