Smallholders and Farmworkers in Agricultural Value Chains: No Upgrading Without Collective Action and State Support

This article presents findings from field studies of smallholders and farmworkers producing coffee, mangoes, and rice in several countries in the global South. It is one of the few comparative studies of the constraints and opportunities for social upgrading in global agricultural value chains ((Arcs). We argue that the ease with which new suppliers can be found gives highly concentrated global wholesalers and retailers enormous leverage over smallholders. As a result, opportunities for social upgrading tend to be limited. Even in successful cases, it is accompanied by fewer employment opportunities. Cooperatives, which enjoy government support and enforced labor laws, are an exception. The article begins with a discussion of problems in measuring the impact of GVC participation and a theoretical explanation of why economic upgrading is not sufficient to ensure social upgrading. Special attention is given to the role of the state in promoting social upgrading.

Automated summary

This study highlights the challenges smallholders and farmworkers in the global South face in global agricultural value chains, where highly concentrated global wholesalers and retailers have significant leverage over them. Social upgrading opportunities are limited for producers, except for cooperatives. The article emphasizes the role of the state in promoting social upgrading.