Economic impact of farmers-driven vertical integration: the case of safe vegetable chains in Northern Vietnam

The paper investigates the respective profitability of contractual arrangements, direct sales and spot marketing for "safe vegetable" farmers in Northern Vietnam. This is based on a survey of 137 peri-urban vegetable farmers, with a minimum of 30 farmers in each category. Selection biases are corrected using propensity score matching methods. The results show that direct sales have a positive significant impact on income relative to contractual arrangements and spot marketing when selection biases are corrected. Contractual arrangements have no significant impact on income compared with the other two categories after correction of selection bias. This may be due to the involvement of purchasers in the production process being still limited. The paper illustrates that direct relations between farmers and consumers, often described in the literature as efficient in the development of consumer confidence as regards quality, can indeed translate into higher incomes than anonymous exchange, or than contractual arrangements with retailing companies. Some limitations of the research and policy recommendations are given in the conclusion. (Résumé d'auteur

Economic Analysis of Post-harvest Losses in Marketing of Vegetables in Uttarakhand

The study has examined the nature and extent of post-harvest losses in vegetable supply chain in the Kumaon division of Uttarakhand. Multistage cluster sampling has been used for selection of 80 vegetable growers, 40 farmers from the hilly region and 40 farmers from the bhabhar region. The sample has also included 25 market functionaries. Twelve major vegetables have been selected for the study. The maximum aggregate post-harvest losses have been found in tomato, followed by potato, brinjal, chilly, French bean and pea. The study has suggested that establishment of producer co-operatives to handle various activities relating to production and marketing of vegetables would help in reducing post-harvest losses.Post-harvest losses, Uttarakhand, Vegetable supply chain, Tomato, Potato, Brinjal, Chilly, French bean, Pea, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q13, Q12, Q18,

EVALUATION OF SELECTED FRESH VEGETABLE TERMINAL MARKETS: A STOCHASTIC DOMINANCE APPROACH

Vegetable production can offer a high-valued cash crop alternative. While returns may be high, vegetables are perceived to have more risk than conventional row crops. This study used stochastic dominance analysis to evaluate terminal market price risk for four vegetable crops across five market locations. Results from the analysis identify differences in efficient market selection depending on the form which price risk follows. While vegetables as a whole are considered risky, substantial differences in the type of terminal market price variability existed between the commodities.Crop Production/Industries,

Crowdsourcing vegetables for farmers’ livelihood improvement: a novel collaborative pilot in Uganda. Resilient seed systems for climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihoods in the East Africa sub-region project progress report

The Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT is implementing a Dutch-supported project entitled: Resilient seed systems for climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihoods in the East Africa sub-region. This work aims to boost timely and affordable access to good-quality seed for a portfolio of crops / varieties for millions of women and men farmers’ and their communities across East Africa. East West Seed (EWS) and the Alliance, in collaboration with the Wageningen Center for Development Innovation, the World Vegetable Centre and National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO)-Uganda, are combining the EWS farmer training approach and the Alliance’s crowdsourcing methodology in a small pilot initiative on vegetables in Uganda. The targeted portfolio of vegetables include traditional (e.g. green leafy vegetables) and modern ones (e.g. tomato, onion, sweet pepper, cabbage, pumpkin) based on farmers’ interests and marketing opportunities, sourced from EWS, the World Vegetable Centre and farmers’ own gardens. The main objective is to strengthen farmers’ capacity to make better use of crop (vegetable) diversity for multiple livelihood purposes. Based on a situational analysis in the Hoima area, 13 farmers were selected to take part in the pilot. They received training in the various aspects of vegetable management from the EWS Knowledge Transfer team in Uganda. The ultimate aim is scale the pilot to about 1,000 farmers. The main research questions for this initiative are: • What are the promising vegetable varieties that smallholder farmers could integrate in their production system? • How do social and gender variables influence crop/variety selection? • What organizational form can best support the testing and adoption of vegetable new species and varieties

Economic impact of farmer-driven vertical integration: the case of safe vegetable chains in northern Vietnam

The paper investigates the respective profitability of contractual arrangements, direct sales and spot marketing for "safe vegetable"? farmers in northern Vietnam. It is based on a survey of 137 peri-urban vegetable farmers, with a minimum of 30 farmers in each category. Selection biases are corrected using propensity score matching methods. The results show that direct sales and contractual arrangements have a significant positive impact on income compared to spot marketing when selection biases are corrected. Contractual arrangements have less impact on income compared with the direct sales after correction of selection bias. This may be due to the still limited involvement of purchasers in the production process. The paper illustrates that direct relations between farmers and consumers, often described in literature as efficient in the development of consumer confidence in terms of quality, can indeed translate into higher income than anonymous exchange or sales under contractual arrangements with retailing companies. Some limitations of the research are given in the conclusion, along with policy recommendations. (Résumé d'auteur

Food Security Status and Barriers to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Two Economically Deprived Communities of Oakland, California, 2013-2014.

IntroductionFood security status may moderate how people perceive barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption. This study aimed to 1) describe the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and microbarriers and mezzobarriers to consumption, and 2) test whether these associations differ by food security status.MethodsWe surveyed adults (n = 531) living in 2 economically deprived communities in Oakland, California, in 2013 and 2014. Multivariate linear regression assessed associations between microbarriers (taste, cost, busyness) and mezzobarriers (produce selection, quality, and purchase ease) and fruit and vegetable consumption, derived from a 26-item dietary screener. Interactions were tested by food security status.ResultsRespondents consumed a mean 2.4 (standard deviation, 1.5) servings of fruits and vegetables daily; 39% of the sample was food insecure. Being too busy to prepare healthy foods was associated with reduced fruit and vegetable consumption (β(busyness) = -0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.52 to -0.28) among all respondents. Food security moderated the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and taste, cost, and perceived ease of purchase of healthy foods. Among the food secure, disliking healthy food taste (β(taste) = -0.38; 95% CI, -0.60 to -0.15) and cost (β(cost) = -0.29; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.15) concerns were associated with lower consumptions of fruits and vegetables. Mezzobarriers were not significantly associated with consumption in either group.ConclusionPerceived time constraints influenced fruit and vegetable consumption. Taste and cost influenced fruit and vegetable consumption among the food secure and may need to be considered when interpreting analyses that describe dietary intake and designing diet-related interventions

CES P-143

This report summarizes the vegetable variety evaluations of the Horticulture Department of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 1979. Variety trials were conducted at the Agricultural Experiment Station’s research farm. The objective of this research is to select varieties of vegetables that are adapted to this environment. It also identifies types whose adaptability may be improved through development of cultural techniques. The selection effort is directed at finding varieties useful to commercial and home garden growers.Varieties are chosen for inclusion in the variety tests on the basis of their description, their latitude of origin, and the record o f the plant-breeding program for producing kinds that have previously been found adapted. Standard recommended varieties are included for comparison. In the past, the vegetable variety evaluation program has been responsible for a continuous improvement in yields, quality, and dependability for many vegetable crops. Our philosophy is to depend upon the many existing plant-breeding programs instead of investing in an expensive, on-site, plant-breeding program . Progress can be made more rapidly by selection than by breeding.Introduction -- Growing-Season Summary: Table 1: Rainfall by Month During the 1979 Growing S e a s o n; Table 2: Broccoli Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 3: Cabbage Variety Trials, Upland, 1 9 79; Table 4: Carrot Variety Trials, Bottom land, 1979; Table 5: Cauliflower Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 6: Cucumber Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 7: Green Pea Variety Trials, 1979; Table 8: Lettuce Variety Trials, Bottom land, 1979; Table 9: Pepper Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 10: Potato Variety Trials, Bottom land, 1979; T able 11: Pumpkin Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 12: Snapbean Variety Trials, 1979; Table 13: Squash, Summer Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 14: Squash, Winter Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 15: Sweet Corn Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 16: Tomato Variety Trials, Upland, 1979; Table 17: Tomato Variety Trials Without Plastic Mulch, Upland, 1979; Miscellaneous Vegetables Tested; Seed Sources

Evaluating Marketing Channel Options for Small-Scale Fruit and Vegetable Producers: Case Study Evidence from Central New York

An investigation of the relative costs and benefits of marketing channels used by typical small-scale diversified vegetable crop producers is conducted. Using case study evidence from four small farms in Central New York, this study compares the performance of wholesale and direct marketing channels, including how the factors of risk, owner and paid labor, price, lifestyle preferences, and sales volume interact to impact optimal market channel selection. Given the highly perishable nature of the crops grown, along with the risks and potential sales volume of particular channels, a combination of different marketing channels is needed to maximize overall firm performance. Accordingly, a ranking system is developed to summarize the major firm-specific factors across channels and to prioritize those channels with the greatest opportunity for success based on individual firm preferences.Marketing channel, small-scale, fruit and vegetable producers, case study, Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries, Financial Economics,

Farmer Participation in Supermarket Channels, Production Technology and Technical Efficiency: The Case of Vegetables in Kenya

Supermarkets are currently gaining ground in the agri-food systems of many developing countries. While recent research has analyzed income effects in the small farm sector, impacts on farming efficiency have hardly been studied. Productivity effects in previous studies are also estimated with respect to different frontiers. Using a survey of Kenyan vegetable growers and a meta-frontier approach, we control for self-selection using propensity score matching and show that participation in supermarket channels increases farm productivity by 35-38%. Effects on technical efficiency are, however, insignificant. Supermarket expansion therefore presents opportunities for realizing agricultural growth, thus enhancing poverty alleviation and rural development.supermarkets, meta-frontier, productivity, meta-technology ratio, sample selection, Kenya, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, International Development, Production Economics, Productivity Analysis,

Genomic regions, cellular components and gene regulatory basis underlying pod length variations in cowpea (V. unguiculata L. Walp).

Cowpea (V. unguiculata L. Walp) is a climate resilient legume crop important for food security. Cultivated cowpea (V. unguiculata L) generally comprises the bushy, short-podded grain cowpea dominant in Africa and the climbing, long-podded vegetable cowpea popular in Asia. How selection has contributed to the diversification of the two types of cowpea remains largely unknown. In the current study, a novel genotyping assay for over 50 000 SNPs was employed to delineate genomic regions governing pod length. Major, minor and epistatic QTLs were identified through QTL mapping. Seventy-two SNPs associated with pod length were detected by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Population stratification analysis revealed subdivision among a cowpea germplasm collection consisting of 299 accessions, which is consistent with pod length groups. Genomic scan for selective signals suggested that domestication of vegetable cowpea was accompanied by selection of multiple traits including pod length, while the further improvement process was featured by selection of pod length primarily. Pod growth kinetics assay demonstrated that more durable cell proliferation rather than cell elongation or enlargement was the main reason for longer pods. Transcriptomic analysis suggested the involvement of sugar, gibberellin and nutritional signalling in regulation of pod length. This study establishes the basis for map-based cloning of pod length genes in cowpea and for marker-assisted selection of this trait in breeding programmes