Viable insertion in agribusiness value chains? Seaweed farming after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Iloilo Province, the Philippines

Abstract

This article provides one of the first academic assessments of upstream agribusiness value chain and rural livelihood challenges after the November 2013 Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which devastated many coastal communities in the central Philippines. Based on a survey and semistructured interviews among fisherfolk, seaweed farmers and other stakeholders in Iloilo Province, this article lays bare the limited viability of the seaweed value chain as a result of the recurring typhoon threat, other environmental pressures and an ineffective regional political economy. Since Typhoon Yolanda, the marginalized communities have depended on horizontal coordination and support from international civil society. The empirical results show that enhanced information dissemination and public sector cooperation are necessary for the seaweed value chain to become more inclusive. The results could also have a wider significance for rural development in other coastal areas in Southeast Asia, namely in the spheres of adaptive strategies amidst vulnerability, upstream vertical coordination and upgrading.

A value chain analysis of Malaysia’s seaweed industry

“…Such steps could transform the prospects for seaweed production in Malaysia. Similar approaches to study the seaweed value chain have been undertaken in Indonesia and the Philippines (Andriesse and Lee 2017;Ferdinandus et al 2017;Mulyati and Geldermann 2017), the two largest seaweed carrageenan-producing nations. It is hoped that a similar approach can support the sustainable growth of the seaweed industry in Malaysia.…”

“…Value chain analysis (VCA) is a useful tool to assess the commercial viability of seaweed aquaculture with similar approaches having been applied to the Indonesian and Philippines industries (Neish 2008(Neish , 2013Andriesse and Lee 2017;Ferdinandus et al 2017;Mulyati and Geldermann 2017). A value chain denotes a list of activities that a firm carries out to produce a product or service for a given market.…”

Primary Sector Value Chains, Poverty Reduction, And Rural Development Challenges In The Philippines

“…Several publications have emphasised that for any upgrading to take place, an enabling institutional environment is essential (Neilson and Shonk ; Horton and others ; Hamilton‐Hart and Stringer ; Andriesse and Lee ). Indeed, if intermediaries are not inclined to initiate or facilitate process and product upgrading, nonchain actors such as government agencies and NGOs should spearhead vertical coordination efforts (Figure ).…”

“… Recently, Andriesse and Lee and Fabinyi () have conducted research explicitly linking rural coastal communities in the Philippines to Asian/Global value chains. …”

“…Recently,Andriesse andLee 2017 andFabinyi (2016) have conducted research explicitly linking rural coastal communities in the Philippines to Asian/Global value chains.2 Firms like Shemberg and MCPI Corporation are global carrageenan exporters and are also engaged in research and development.3 See Sumadio, Andriesee, Aprilianti and Sulyat 2017 for a more comprehensive discussion of this point.4 The Philippine statistical authority does publish data on land use, yield, production, trade, etc, but not the number of smallholders and plantation owners.…”