No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
High-value horticulture in developing countries: Barriers and opportunities
Abstract
High-value horticultural crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatic plants and herbs, are key components of agricultural development and economic progress in developing countries. Tropical and subtropical fruit trees are normally grown in these areas, especially when they have a competitive advantage of being harvested when appropriate market windows occur. Intensive production systems, often involving intercropping of fruit trees and vegetables along with a staple grain crop such as maize, provide local population with a balanced, diverse, nutrient-rich diet, an increased income, improved health and well-being through reduction in poverty and malnutrition. This review focuses on three case studies in three continents, each of which has achieved remarkable success in a relatively short time: East Cape, South Africa; Chiapas State, Mexico; and the São Francisco River Valley, Northeast Brazil. Significant economic benefits accrued to smallholders, as well as locally and nationally in both Brazil and Mexico, while in South Africa final economic assessments have not been made, although smallholder farmers are receiving incomes that have not existed previously. Key elements in success of these projects included substantial initial funding from a Government or international source that enabled infrastructural development such as creation of irrigation systems in Brazil, selection and supply of quality planting material (propagated trees, plants, vegetable and flower seeds), provision of R&D expertise as well as extension specialists providing education and training. In addition, involvement of local farmers and communities, development of local farmer associations and 'champions' to provide leadership, addition of people with expertise in social, economic, technological, welfare and heritage knowledge is important for ongoing village progress and development. Major challenges exist in creation of a functional and efficient supply chain for postharvest handling, storage and transport, as well as creating stable and profitable market linkages for high-value horticultural products. The common elements in these projects have the potential to be transposed to other developing countries where they have the potential to serve as models for economic and social development.
... According to [13] staple crops have commonly been the most important for cultivation by small-scale farmers in developing countries because they provide carbohydrates and calories that meet essential energy requirements. High-value crops (HVCs) also known as horticultural crops or non-traditional crops [14] are grown for food, nutrition, human health and wellbeing and include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. These crops are known to return a significant price premium per hectare or per unit compared to traditional staple food crops because they do not often form part of the customary diet of the local population and are largely grown for their cash values in domestic and export markets [13]. ...
... Small-scale farmers stand to gain higher incomes from farming if they diversify their activities and venture into the cultivation of HVCs as opposed to solely relying on staple crops which produce low earnings [14]. HVCs can also improve the ability of small-scale farmers to meet their household food security needs through incomes obtained from participation in local and export markets to purchase food for household consumption. ...
... The two farming systems in the study i.e., small-scale and large-scale are recog-nised as systems due to the multi-variable nature of the processes within the farms and the non-linear interconnectedness that exists between them. The commodities grown in these farming systems are recognized as HVC based on the definition provided by [14]. The four drivers of production i.e., land, labour, capital and enterprise drive the two farming systems and the pathway of agricultural enterprise i.e., production, management, marketing and value adding for each of the systems which have the potential to produce the same outcome in different ways. ...
South African agricultural farming systems are characterized by a duality in which there exists large-scale commercial farmers and small-scale farmers. Large-scale commercial farmers, historically identified as capital intensive and characterized by the size of the landholdings, are considered as the main drivers of national food security. Small-scale farmers on the other hand are viewed as important drivers of food security at the household level. These two main farming systems can be found within the Vhembe district municipality of the Limpopo Province and are characterized differently according to land descriptors. The study used an analysis of primary data obtained from in-depth interviews and secondary data obtained from an agricultural database to identify and characterize large and small-scale farming systems within the Vhembe district. The study examined the land resource namely farm size and land ownership, topography and soil description, rainfall and its variability and threats and hazards used under three different high value crop (HVC) commodities, macadamia nuts, mangos and avocado pears. The study further examined yield and income from farming as drivers of production that would ensure the sustainability of long-term food security at both national and household level. The study revealed that gender of farmers within the farming systems was predominantly (79%) male across all commodities. Age distribution results showed an aging population of farmers mostly (90%) above the age of 51. Communal land ownership was the dominant (74%) land ownership amongst participants. Yield is not solely dependent on farm size and requires consideration of a broader array of land management aspects. There was a strong, significant correlation between income and farm size. These factors have implications for sustainability of the two farming systems and illustrate how certain aspects of land as a driver of production such as land ownership, rainfall variability, yield and income from farming can impact sustainability.
... The horticultural seed industry has become the most important of all the seed sectors as public demand for fresh and safe gardening crops has increased along with a growing interest in the promotion of general well-being, health, and quality of life (Weinberger and Lumpkin, 2007;Hewett, 2012). Although grain seeds currently have the largest share of the commercial seed market, many existing patents deal with the use of horticultural plants because horticultural seed production is more profitable than seed production for food grain crops (Weinberger and Lumpkin, 2007). ...
... To cater for this diversified and nutrient based diet, production systems are inclining towards the cultivation of high value crops. High value crops are regarded as those crops which yield a significant premium price per unit area when compared with traditional staple food crops (Hewett, 2012). These are also known as non-traditional or speciality crops which may include fruits, vegetables, medicinal, flower crops. ...
... Access to institutional credit was found to be negatively and significantly related with crop diversification. The likelihood of diversification is higher in farmers having access to public extension contacts and participation in training (Hewett, 2012). Households who sell their produce to one or more procuring agency were more likely to diversify their crop portfolios. ...
... Access to institutional credit was found to be negatively and significantly related with crop diversification. The likelihood of diversification is higher in farmers having access to public extension contacts and participation in training (Hewett, 2012). Households who sell their produce to one or more procuring agency were more likely to diversify their crop portfolios. ...
The study used a large farm household level data to assess the economic impact of crop diversification and also identifies the factors influencing the extent of diversification in the north east region of India. The crop sector was found to be skewed towards specialization. The result of instrumental variable technique showed that crop diversification has a positively significant impact on the income among the households. Further, fractional logit estimation found that variables like family members in the working age group, landholding size, crop loss experience, extension contact, participation in training positively affected diversification. Irrigated area, access to institutional credit, etc negatively affected the same. Diversification towards high value crops may accelerate the agricultural growth of the region and improve the wellbeing of the farmers. Measures for improvement of basic infrastructural facilities and extension services for improving backward and forward linkages are required.
... and participation in training(Hewett, 2012) with marginal effect values of 1.7 % and 5.2 %, respectively. Agricultural extension can play a major role in promotion of crop diversification through technical backstopping especially for non-traditional high value crops and its marketing avenues.Kasem & Thapa, 2011 found that in Thailand, extension services played a key role in helping farmers move away from rice-based monocropping towards crop diversification. ...
... Access to institutional credit is found to be negatively and significantly related with crop diversification. The likelihood of diversification is higher in farmers having access to public extension contacts and participation in training (Hewett, 2012). Households who sell their produce to one or more procuring agency are more likely to diversify their crop portfolios. ...
The study used a large farm household level data to assess the economic impact of crop diversification and also identifies the factors influencing the extent of diversification in the north east region of India. The crop sector is found to be skewed towards specialization. The result of instrumental variable technique showed that crop diversification has a positively significant impact on the income among the households. Further, fractional logit estimation found that variables like working household members, landholding size, crop loss experience, extension contact, participation in training positively affected diversification. On the other hand, irrigated area, access to institutional credit, etc negatively affected the same.
... Access to institutional credit is found to be negatively and significantly related with crop diversification. The likelihood of diversification is higher in farmers having access to public extension contacts and participation in training (Hewett, 2012). Households who sell their produce to one or more procuring agency are more likely to diversify their crop portfolios. ...
... Access to institutional credit was found to be negatively and significantly related with crop diversification. The likelihood of diversification is higher in farmers having access to public extension contacts and participation in training (Hewett, 2012). Households who sell their produce to one or more procuring agency were more likely to diversify their crop portfolios. ...
The study used a large farm household level data to assess the economic impact of crop diversification and also identifies the factors influencing the extent of diversification in the north east region of India. The crop sector is found to be skewed towards specialization. The result of instrumental variable technique showed that crop diversification has a positively significant impact on the income among the households. Further, fractional logit estimation found that variables like working household members, landholding size, crop loss experience, extension contact, participation in training positively affected diversification. On the other hand, irrigated area, access to institutional credit, etc negatively affected the same. The North East Region (NER) comprising of eight states, lags behind the rest of India in economic development. Primarily dependent on agriculture and allied sector directly or indirectly, more than 81 per cent of the region's population is rural and 51 per cent of the total workforce engaged in agriculture (GoI, 2011). Agriculture of the region is characterized by its subsistence nature, monocropping, rainfed, low input-low output, technologically lagged mixed farming system (Kumar et al., 2007). The average cropping intensity is around 132 % which is lower than the national average of 139 %. Further, more than 75 %of the farm households are small and marginal in nature (< 2 ha) in the region. Although, the population living below poverty line decreased by around 18%between 2004-05 and 2011-12 in the region, this decline is much lower compared to the national level average decrease of around 41%during the same period.
... Horticulture has been one of the fastest-growing sectors within the larger agriculture activities in India, and the state of Karnataka is at the forefront in this context (Singh et al. 2014a, b). In fact, high-value horticultural crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatic plants and herbs, are key components of agricultural development and economic progress in many developing countries (Hewett 2012). However, such high-value horticulture focuses on nontraditional species, often relying on exotics. ...
Farmers all over the world find it profitable to diversify into horticultural crops, and worldwide production of horticultural crops has grown faster than that of cereal crops. Given this state of affairs, what could be priorities, challenges, and the way for forward in conserving and utilizing HGR? Answers to these questions are discussed in this chapter. Issues discussed include: collecting and establishing (genebanks of different types) has been the priority for the country followed by proper characterization and evaluation of accessions conserved. Additionally, there is a need to identify gaps in extant collections/genebanks, and focus on measures on filling such gaps. Collecting of plant germplasm faces challenges of different nature, especially in the case of HGR, which comprises of many diverse tree and shrub species, little known or poorly described wild species as in the case of medicinal plants, and poorly documented under used and rare fruit species. It is important to recognize successful conservation methods of crop genetic resources on-farm, and it is only possible with the full involvement of farmers and communities and only when it is internalized with farmers’ production activities directed to improve their livelihood. Various challenges faced by ex situ conservation of HGR are also discussed in this chapter. We also include some thoughts on the human dimension of conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources. Conservation and sustainable use of HGR has multidimensional problems and requires urgent attention of various stakeholders.
... Smallholder farmers typically face numerous challenges such as the following: production yields that tend to be low; post-harvest risks that are high; many barriers to market access with consistency of quality, inadequate volumes, spoilage, lack and cost of transport and storage (Baliyan & Kgathi 2009;Hewett (2012); Humphrey 2006; Munyeche, Story, Baines & Davies 2011;Murray-Prior 2011;Shepard 2007;Torero 2011). Furthermore, with current trade liberalisation and globalisation trends prominent in agricultural food chains, the agri-food sector has become more concentrated, with increased vertical integration between sectors. ...
A survey of 52 smallholder fresh produce farmers was conducted in the Gauteng province of South Africa to grasp how risk and its management affect the mainstreaming of smallholder farmers into formal, high-value markets. The study employed a supply chain analysis approach, which focused on the functions and risks that occur along the fresh produce chain. The results highlight the risks that impede the participation of smallholder farmers in formal, high-value chains. At the production level, risk is prominent from input procurement through to the post-harvest stage of the chains. At the retail and consumption level, risks are linked to the adherence to quality and quantity standards, including prescribed packaging, grading, labelling and traceability and transport requirements. As a result of these risks across the formal chain, smallholder farmers often resort to distributing their products in low-value informal markets. The consequence is that smallholder farmers tend to remain trapped in poverty, in part, because of their risk appetites and their ability to bear risk.
Further research is required in the areas pertaining to smallholder farmers’ risk appetite and risk-bearing ability and mechanisms to deal with the particular risks in the value chain that impede their all-round ability to escape the “smallholder dilemma”.
... Smallholder farmers typically face numerous challenges such as the following: production yields that tend to be low; post-harvest risks that are high; many barriers to market access with consistency of quality, inadequate volumes, spoilage, lack and cost of transport and storage (Baliyan & Kgathi 2009;Hewett (2012);Humphrey 2006;Munyeche, Story, Baines & Davies 2011;Murray-Prior 2011;Shepard 2007;Torero 2011). Furthermore, with current trade liberalisation and globalisation trends prominent in agricultural food chains, the agri-food sector has become more concentrated, with increased vertical integration between sectors. ...
1Risk disclosure practices have received increasing attention in the wake
of the 2008 global financial crisis. This study investigated possible
determinants relating to the composition of the board committee
responsible for risk management, the frequency of board risk committee
meetings and whether the company employs a chief risk officer, which
could manifest in an enhanced level of risk-related disclosure. Based on
the possible determinants identified in the literature, nine hypotheses
were developed in order to investigate which of these determinants
relate to an enhanced level of risk disclosure by the selected companies.
The first required integrated reports of non-financial companies in the
Top 40 index of the JSE Securities Exchange were investigated in this
study. Regarding one area of investigation, namely the level of risk
management disclosure, it was found that the disclosure of companies
whose risk committee met more frequently and the disclosure of
companies that employed a chief risk officer, were of a relatively higher
standard. With regard to the other area of investigation, namely the
level of risk identification and mitigation disclosure, no clearly significant
determinant of enhanced disclosure was identified.
... Postharvest storage is a major pre-requisite in preparing products for market. Cost of horticultural products are determined by the mode of journey undertaken to reach the consumer (Hewett, 2012). Previously, the cost incurred for airfreight was a major impediment for the growth of a fresh Pitahaya fruit market in Europe. ...
Agriculture is arguably one of the most important economic sectors for South Africa’s
development as it is directly linked to food security. Farming systems in South Africa have been characterized by a duality where large-scale commercial farmers and small-scale farmers co-exist. The conventional approach to understanding agricultural production in the country has always viewed the two farming systems as mutually exclusive. The study argues that there are various points of interaction between the two kinds of farmers and by using a systems dynamics approach to evaluate the two farming systems this can be applied to agricultural decision making. Data were used to identify and characterise small- and large-scale farming systems of two tree crops (mangos -Mangifera indica L. and macadamia nuts-Macadamia integrifolia M&B.) in the Vhembe district of Limpopo South Africa. The interactions between the two different farmers are illustrated using Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) of the two farming systems under similar commodities. Results, presented as four conceptual scenarios, show that there are multiple points of interaction, such as the interdependence of farmers of macadamia nuts to meet export demands. Policy recommendations to strengthen collaboration between small-scale mango farmers and implement irrigation expansion for farmers who depend on rain-fed farming are discussed and present opportunities for the co-functioning of the two farming systems.
In the European Union, diversification into more resilient crops and the massive deficit in protein production constitute a huge challenge. Among recommended food alternatives to help solve this problem are high-value ancient underutilized agricultural crops recommended by international institutions, which are usually more resilient than mainstream crops and often have higher protein content. Our hypothesis is that there is a need for a more holistic framework that encompasses most of the issues to be considered when developing sustainable value chains for (re)adopting underutilized crops. To test our hypothesis and suggest a more holistic approach, we conducted a review of existing scientific literature in the field. Here, we identify the most relevant issues suggested as preconditions for (re)adopting underutilized crops. We discuss the theoretical background of the main constraints or drivers and their effect on the realization of more socially, environmentally and financially sustainable adoption strategies. As a result, the study suggests a more holistic framework.
Crop diversification is one of the most cost‐effective way of reducing uncertainties in farmer's income, especially among poor smallholder farmers. However, poverty is a complex concept, which includes more dimensions than only income. This review investigates the contribution of crop diversification to Sustainable Development Goal 1(SDG1) “No poverty” by also considering other dimensions of poverty, namely gender equality, food security and nutrition, and vulnerability to climate change. It demonstrates that the contribution of crop diversification to food security and nutrition, gender equality, and reduction of poor farmers' vulnerability to climate change has not been properly researched. Several factors across the studies analysed were found to influence the implementation of crop diversification, but these were hardly connected to poverty reduction. New research and policy impact evaluation methods that follow a sustainability approach perspective to poverty need to be undertaken in order to assess the contribution of crop diversification to SDG1.
Farm marketing has been recognized as an important factor for a successful farm business. Due to the increasing interest of consumers in food safety, direct marketing of farm products to consumers in the local farmers’ markets has become very popular. Compared to traditional farm marketing channels, relatively little is known about the use of direct-to-consumer marketing strategies by farmers. This paper aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of farmers’ choices among available farm marketing channels using the case study of Taiwan. Using a population-based survey of 5600 family farms in Taiwan in 2014, in this study we quantify the extent to which demographic characteristics of farm operators, farm production and family conditions may influence the decision of farms to sell farm products to the government, wholesale markets, and in direct-to-consumer sales. We develop a trivariate probit model, and our results indicate that education level and engagement in the off-farm labour market of farm operators, the number of household members, farm size, land ownership, and the type of farm are the key factors in determining farmers’ choice of marketing channels. The findings of this study may have important implications for the design of more effective farm marketing programs by agricultural authorities.
The current study describes the possibility of small-scale production facility for Pleurotus ostreatus under two different agro-ecological regions (Peshawar and Swat of Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa of Pakistan). Different growth parameters such as spawn running time, number of crops, stalk height, stalk diameter, cap size, fresh weight, number of production days and the interval in days between the time of bag opening and the time of starting fruiting bodies formation have shown promising results in both areas. Mean comparison of the two locations indicated that, 4 of the 7 parameters including stalk height, stalk diameter, cap size and fresh weight had greater values at Peshawar when compared with Swat. In contrast, the spawn running time, that is, mycelium growth took much longer time (84 days) at Swat compared with Peshawar (44 days). Formation of fruiting bodies at Swat was found later (7 days) than that of Peshawar (4 days). Similarly, the production period (70 days) at Swat exhibited much longer in contrast to Peshawar (49 days). The study concluded that mild winter temperatures of Peshawar region and low summer temperatures in Swat were found most conducive times of the year for growth and yield of Pleurotus ostreatus.
This paper describes the domestication and economic potential of the cultivation of some therapeutically important medicinal plants. Pakistan is home to precious wide range of globally threatened species of plant resources with a number of progenitors of economically useful crops and a multitude of medicinal plants having applications for the development of pharmaceutical industries and possesses agro-industrial potentialities. In this context a study on the ex-situ cultivation of medicinal plants was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of six medicinal species (Asparagus recemosus, Carum carvi, Rauvolfia serpentina, Atropa accumonicata, Valeriana jatamonsii and Linum ustatissimum) from Swat, Pakistan. The studies were conducted during 2007-2008 at four different locations in Swat, Pakistan at altitudes ranging from 1400 to 2200 m.a.s.l. The objectives were: (1) to study the domestication and cultivation of six medicinal plants in farm lands and (2) to analyze their economic potential under farm land condition. A highest mean survival of 85.5% across all locations was observed for Linum ustatissimum followed by 77.6% for C. carvi. The remaining four species showed poor survival rates. The productive yield and economic potential of L. ustatissimum was certainly not reduced, but rather slightly enhanced in the higher altitude sites. The results revealed that the cultivation of C. carvi and L. ustatissimum was successful and showed high economic potential under farmland conditions.
The production of bananas and other tropical fruit crops in the subtropics is highly influenced by climate. In the case of bananas, climate causes undesirable physiological phenomena and long cropping cycles, despite which yields obtained in the subtropics can be excellent. True tropical fruits like rambutan, mangosteen or durian, highly demanding both in temperature and humidity requirements, cannot be economically cultivated in the subtropics, but others like mango, litchi or avocado, have become important commercial crops in many subtropical countries through many years of research and grower efforts. Many other tropical fruits may perform well in the subtropics, but considerable research and development must still be conducted before they can become important commercial crops. Management of pests is generally easier and cheaper compared with the tropics due to the constraints of low temperatures and humidity on pathogen activity. This has important relevance for organic cultivation, which can add value to the production of tropical fruits in the subtropics. Since tropical trees produce fewer annual flushes per year in subtropical climates, tree growth control is easier and suitable pruning techniques allow their cultivation at high density, facilitating high initial yields with optimal management. Proximity to the market is an additional advantage, not only for cost reasons, but also due to a reduced carbon footprint. Special problems and challenges for tropical fruit cultivation in the subtropics include the growing importance of Fusarium wilt and weevil borer on banana in cooler climates, and the impact of low temperatures in relation to flowering, pollination, fruit set, fruit quality and yield in many tropical tree crops. The actual importance of and future prospects for, developing banana and other relevant tropical fruits in the subtropics, is analysed in this paper.
This article investigates the consequences of the production of table grapes for export to corporate supermarkets in the global North on labor in a re-gion of the Brazilian North-east. This production is destined to meet the growing demand for year-round food marketed as quality food. Quality food is required by supermarket chains to increase competitiveness and is guaranteed through third-party certification programs. Despite claims that certification not only main-tains product quality but also safeguards the use of labor, the study demonstrates that the global production of quality grapes engenders negative consequences for workers. Laborers work longer for less pay, perform more sophisticated tasks, are employed mostly through temporary contracts, and experience new and more advanced forms of control. Additionally, the article illustrates the ways in which other salient actors, such as global food retailers, brokers and firms, operate in regard to labor and quality grape production. It is concluded that, despite various claims about the objectives of certification programs, the actual use of the certifi-cation processes at the local level does not translate immediately into better labor relations in the global South.
This article provides a case study of the Ethiopian flower export industry which successfully emerged at time when the EU market (main destination) was already characterised by increasingly stringent standards and delivery requirements. Entering this market required a multitude of capabilities at firm, sector and national levels. Several of these capabilities were absent or weak in the domestic market when the new activity kicked off. The article analyses how the capabilities of individual firms and the industry at large co-evolved and the role of various actors in the ‘market formation’ process.
This article examines the emergence and trajectory of a new agro-industry in Ghana, the pineapple export industry, using the technological capabilities approach. It explains the limited expansion of the industry and its declining competitiveness in the face of new competition by looking at how Ghanaian exporters developed technological capabilities initially and the incentives and disincentives to building on those capabilities. The article argues that at the heart of the industry's crisis was an inability to further develop technological capabilities. The crisis had systemic features that have broader implications for developing new agro-industries in Ghana as well as other African countries.
This article introduces the special section on the making and remaking of agro-industries in Africa. It examines what the contributions tell us about how agro-industries work, but also why national industries work the way they do, how they came to be that way and what factors and forces drive or hinder their dynamism.
Introduction. Growing demand in Europe for healthy and nutritious food and beverage products with new flavours creates opportunities for supplying the European market with novel fruit juices including tropical fruits like acai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.). Materials and methods. One tropical fruit species from Brazil, i.e., acai, was selected as a case species. Via expert interviews, a review of consumer studies regarding tropical fruit consumption, field visits and literature research, a SWOT analysis was conducted in order to map the opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses related to acai and its potential in the West European fruit juice industry. Results. Opportunities stem from growing consumer interest in natural, healthy and nutritious fruit juices, the need for health-oriented innovations in the food industry and growing interest in variety, novel tastes and ethnic foods. Unfamiliarity, health claim credibility and European market access requirements constitute the main threats. Strengths pertain to the nutritional value of acai and its tropical origin, and the existence of well-established national acai markets and processing industries. Weaknesses result from the irregular supply and inconsistent acai quality, lack of advanced know-how in cultivation and processing issues, and scant insights into the fruit's nutrient profile. Conclusion. The findings indicate that acai, which has outstanding nutritional values and health-related benefits, could have substantial potential in the West European fruit juice market. Key attention points pertain to creating awareness among consumers and building familiarity with acai and its products, and obtaining in-depth knowledge about its nutritional characteristics and concomitant health benefits.
Declining prices for domestic products and loss of export markets for Vietnamese fruit and vegetables during 2000-4 highlighted the challenges faced by Vietnam's horticultural sector. During this time, producers of dragon fruit witnessed a decline in prices by as much as 60%. While demand for dragon fruit was identified in higher value markets in Europe and North America, regulatory requirements and consumer food safety concerns meant that access to these markets was not possible unless Vietnamese growers could adopt internationally recognised quality systems. However the implementation of these systems requires strong technical skills and knowledge in quality system management by local facilitators in order to train and support industry stakeholders in a sustainable way. This capacity did not exist within Vietnam until recently. In 2005, an Australian Government's funded project began with the overall objective to support the growth of the dragon fruit industry through the implementation of good agricultural practice systems. A key component of the project was to provide adequate technical training and support for Vietnamese extension/researchers to improve their capacity in farmer group and exporter quality management training procedures. This paper outlines how formal training, mentoring and a learning-by-doing approach in conjunction with the private sector has seen project team members emerge as the leading national quality system specialists in their field. They have since demonstrated their capacity to extend these skills to other crops and have begun to form commercial partnerships with industry to provide these services on a user-pays basis.
Although the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the developing world host a great diversity of fruit and vegetables, there is a low availability of these products for domestic markets and local consumption. Thus there is a high risk of what is commonly known as the "hidden hunger", which includes nutrient deficiencies and non communicable diseases. Such a situation, coupled with the erosion of local cultures and indigenous knowledge, further contribute to the vicious circle which leads to poor health and environmental degradation. More diverse and resilient local food systems - including the sustainable management of local fruit and vegetable species - would make a significant contribution to improving diets and nutrition, and to local economic development. This is the case in the Pacific Islands. Many countries in the Pacific have a rich diversity of fruit, some unique to the Pacific, yet their poor utilization is a contributing factor to some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world. To benefit from the nutritional and economic values of fruits and vegetables in developing countries, public policies should be created to promote availability and consumption of fruit and vegetables. A strong public-private multi-sectoral partnership at a local level, which involves all stakeholders in the value chain, is essential. Policy support must promote best practices and apply indigenous knowledge. As increasing urbanization is a challenge in many developing countries, partnerships must undertake the issue of perishable products and promote the importance of traditional products. Innovation is key to promoting and ensuring sustainable utilization of fruit and vegetables, which should be backstopped by appropriate research actions and capacity development.
Underutilized crops have the potential to provide great social and nutritional benefits to the rural poor as well as the global community at large, and it is increasingly recommended that they are identified, researched and promoted in much the same ways and levels of resourcing as the world's main staple food plants. Underutilized crops are defined as 'species' with under-exploited potential for contributing to food security, health (nutritional/medicinal), income generation and environmental services. South-East Asia and many of the islands throughout the Pacific have traditional tropical and subtropical fruits. These fruits are not extensively cultivated, and consumption and trade are limited. However, many of these are of considerable economic importance in their respective regional markets. Nutritional analysis of the region's underutilized species is now being seen as an important component of plant genetic resource project. Many of these species are well- used by local communities and their nutritional and medicinal benefits are well known. The diversity of underutilized tropical and subtropical fruits that exist in this region is highly significant and could equip the communities well with by opening up high value-niche market. This paper provides an overview of underutilized tropical and subtropical fruits of the Asia and Oceania region and their potential in addressing sustainable development and economic growth of the communities of the region.
Thousands of tropical and subtropical fruits grown in the world, of which about only 50 are well known and only around 10 may be considered as commercially important. Although tropical and subtropical fruits originated in almost all continents, including the Pacific islands, most are originally from the tropical and subtropical lands of America and Asia. Only two commercially important fruits originated in Oceania, the macadamia (in Queensland, Australia) and the coconut (in the Pacific), although the latter is considered pantropical in origin, while only the date palm is native to Africa, and none to Europe. Tropical and subtropical fruits can be found in most of the botanical families of the Vegetable Kingdom. Tropical and subtropical fruits can be divided into three main categories: major, minor and wild. Obviously underutilized fruit species can only be found in the last two. An overview of them is provided in this paper.
This article reconstructs the evolution of a multinational fruit processing company from Ghana. Starting from the perspective that firms more generally aim at achieving stability in intra- and extra-organisational relations, the article explores the practical means (organisational forms, resources, technologies, strategies and routines) through which the case study company achieved relational stability in global markets, but also shows how this was eroded in changing market environments. Extending out from this case study, the article also addresses the questions why some agro-business firms in Africa have developed more sophisticated high-value market connections while others have not and whether foreign direct investments can serve as catalysts for agro-industrialisation.
Horticulture is an ancient pursuit. Beginning some 10,000 years ago, our brilliant forebears discovered the horticultural craft secrets that are the basis of our profession. They initiated a revolution that changed forever the destiny of humans from scavenging, collecting, and hunting to agriculture. We all are the heirs and beneficiaries of this legacy from the past. Our roots derive from prehistoric gatherers, Sumerian, Egyptian, Chinese, and Korean farmers, Hellenic root diggers, medieval peasants, and gardeners everywhere who devised practical solutions to problems of plant growing for food, ornament, medicine, fiber, and shelter. The accumulated successes and improvements passed orally from parent to child, from artisan to apprentice, and became embedded in human consciousness via legend, craft secrets, and folk wisdom. It was stored in tales, almanacs, herbals, and histories and has become part of our common culture. More than practices and skills were involved as improved germplasm was selected and preserved via seed and graft from harvest to harvest and generation to generation. Practically all of our cultivated crops were selected and improved by prehistoric farmers. An array of technological approaches from primitive tools fashioned during the Bronze and Iron Ages through the development of the horticultural arts - irrigation, propagation, cultivation, pruning and training, drying, and fermentation - were devised to accommodate the needs and desires of humankind. The sum total of these technologies makes up the traditional lore of horticulture. It represents a monumental achievement of our forebears, un- known and unsung. Horticultural technology has been continuous over the millennia but in the last 100 years dramatic changes have occurred that have transformed horticulture from a craft to a science, and these changes will be displayed in the present Congress. However, all these advances are based solidly on the foundation of ancient techniques.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on tropical fruits, both in fresh and processed form, and on the influence of socio-demographic, psychosocial and socio-environmental factors on their consumption and purchasing intention.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire-based survey (n = 290) was used to gain insight in the perceived importance of different food choice determinants (i.e. familiarity with tropical fruits, attitude and beliefs towards this food category, influence of social norm and socio-demographic characteristics), and their role on the intention to purchase tropical fruits. Data analysis consisted of descriptive analyses and statistical validation.
Findings – Familiarity with tropical fruits differs and depends on consumers’ product-related experiences. Tropical fruits are perceived as nutritious, healthy, good in taste, attractive and special. Socio-demographic characteristics, such as gender, place of living and travel experience outside Europe, associate with product familiarity, consumers’ general attitude and beliefs, and the purchasing intention of tropical fruits.
Originality/value – This paper covers a previously rather unexplored, even neglected research topic, namely consumers’ attitude and behavioural intention towards fresh and processed tropical fruits.
This article investigates how capital–labour relations (encompassing processes of class formation, representation, struggle and compromise) impact on emerging regions’ developmental trajectories. It does so because much of development studies portray labour simply as an input (human capital) subordinate to more fundamental processes such as capital investment and accumulation. The paper draws on and extends insights gained from the “new working class studies” and global commodity chains literatures in order to examine evolving capital–labour relations—from relatively militant struggles to class compromise—in an emerging sector of North East Brazilian export horticulture. It identifies sources of workers’ structural and associational power and uses these to explain significant gains achieved by the region's rural trade union during the formation of the export horticulture sector. It then asks, why, despite continuing structural power, the region's trade union has entered into a class compromise with the leading employers via (a) reducing its militancy and its strategy of striking against employers to win concessions, and (b) shifting its objectives in terms of concessions sought. It speculates on the impacts of these changing class relations on the region's developmental trajectory.
Brazil̂s São Francisco Valley provides an example of the ways in which agro-food firms are attempting to mobilize and control labour as they expand production of fruits and vegetables for domestic and global markets. In crops where cost reduction is a primary concern, firms choose highly ‘flexible’ forms of labour mobilization, drawing on the casual labour of migrants from the Brazilian Northeast. In crops where the quality and timing of produce are of great importance, firms use either subcontracting arrangements that mobilize family labour, or the labour of local women and children. In this way, firms involved in the production of fruits and vegetables show many similarities to their counterparts in certain branches of industry: they are actively experimenting with labour arrangements that tap the most vulnerable segments of the international workforce, and that appropriate unpaid family labour.
In horticulture contemporary globalization is associated with (at least) two connected processes – the concentration, centralization and expanding reach of global retailers and the emergence of numerous new sites of export horticulture specializing in fresh fruit and vegetable production aimed at metropolitan markets. Whilst there have been numerous studies about developmental impacts, conditions of labour, and producers' upgrading strategies within this new context, few studies give much, if any, space to explaining and analyzing the processes through which these new regions have come into being. This article provides a detailed account of the emergence and global integration of one of these new sites – the São Francisco valley grape branch in North East Brazil, within the context of the wider regional fruiticulture sector. It focuses on state activities and incentives, the provenance of grape producers and their organizations, and grape branch composition.
There is an influential view that South‐East Asia's economic success is based on export‐oriented industrialisation, and that African states should above all imitate this aspect of Asian development strategy. This article, however, uses evidence from Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia and Kenya to argue: (i) that the historical roots of South‐East Asian economic success actually lie in pro‐poor agricultural and rural development; (ii) that even when it has been pro‐rural, as in the case of Kenya, African development strategy has not been pro‐poor; and (iii) that pro‐poor agricultural development, not export‐oriented industrialisation, should be the first priority of African states seeking to achieve sustained growth and poverty reduction.
This paper examines irrigated grape production by small and large farms in the São Francisco Valley (Bahia/Pernambuco) of Northeastern Brazil. It argues that while small farms have lower costs in producing these nontraditional export crops, they are vulnerable because they do not have secure access to postharvest transport and marketing services. The paper also argues that large grape firms have been able to maintain a dominant presence in export grape production because of the presence of a large supply of labor (largely female) and because of weak labor legislation which allows them to reduce the cost of labor in various ways.