Understanding poverty in rural Mexico

In situations where inequality and ethnicity are important aspects of poverty, policymakers need to understand the range of strategies people use to survive. Different groups within communities use different livelihood strategies, according to their wealth. To achieve sustainable development, policies must be targeted at their varying needs

Fresh Perspectives 4 – Ethical consumerism: development of a global trend and its impact on development

Key messages: Consumers increasingly wish to shop ethically, but require clearer navigation of the ethical categories; Third-party accreditation systems are proving an effective mechanism to formulate and communicate ethical attributes to consumers; Ethical issues are entering the mainstream, offering increased opportunities for developing countries; Domestic and regional markets in developing countries for value-added and quality products are growing

Rural poverty in Mexico: assets and livelihood strategies among the Mayas of Yucatán

Understanding poverty and sustainability needs livelihood studies that acknowledge heterogeneity at the community and household level. This is particularly true for Latin America where inequality and ethnicity are important aspects of poverty and sustainability. This paper is a detailed examination of the natural resources, socioeconomic assets and livelihood strategies of two Mayan communities of the Mexican State of Yucatán. There were three fundamental objectives: to elucidate the people’s perceptions of poverty, to analyze their resource use and livelihood strategies, and to suggest ways in which access to markets can reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the dominance of certain successful strategies is made clear. Firstly, milpa – the traditional system of maize production - is a way of life for the Mayas. Secure access to maize-producing land is a valuable asset, partly because it also attracts government subsidies. Secondly, ownership of small livestock is also part of Mayan life. Ownership of other assets such as bee hives gives access to (relatively) lucrative product markets. Thirdly, active agribusiness marketing also requires assets: ownership of transport services; finance to assemble and sell products such as forest fruits, honey and maize; business skills and an ability to create commercial linkages to traders. Appropriate interventions for different wealth groups are suggested to enhance sustainable development of the communities

Creating Value for Competitive Advantage in Supply Chain Relationships: The Case of the Sri Lankan Tea Industry

The declining competitiveness of the Sri Lankan tea industry is an example of shifting competitive advantage in agribusiness. This research uses a case study approach to identify the specific role of information and communication on exporter/importer relationships within the tea supply chain, and the impact on value addition, channel member performance and competitive advantage in the Sri Lankan tea industry. The main primary data collection was conducted through thirty face-to-face executive interviews in Sri Lanka using an extensive semi-structured interview guide. Analyses of the information from the interviews were qualitative in nature. Results demonstrated how good information and communication between exporters and importers promote joint decision making, commitment and loyalty. In turn these affect relationship quality in respect of concepts such as trust, commitment, satisfaction and opportunism. Relationship quality was also shown to have impacts on value creation. Results indicated that this approach leads to inimitable strategic advantages for supply chain players whereby it is difficult for competitors to duplicate such relationships.Agribusiness, Industrial Organization,

Agriculture can improve nutrition in Afghanistan

While there are multiple causes of malnutrition in Afghanistan, undernutrition and lack of dietary diversity point to micronutrient deficiencies rather than generalised food insecurity. This implies a major role for agriculture. In Afghanistan, there is potential to re-orient the whole agriculture sector towards the nutrition agenda. The objectives of the research reported here are to identify the interrelationships among key organisations in agriculture and nutrition, evaluate the local evidence linking agriculture to nutrition, and understand the perceptions of decision-makers about policy-making and implementation, and the capacities for improving nutrition through the agri-food system. Policy recommendations: The Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (AFSANA) frames the agriculture, health, and other development sector policies and programmes for: greater decentralisation or ‘deconcentration’ of policy making to provincial levels; increased investment in departmental government capacity within the agriculture and health sectors; improved information flow and knowledge management between central and provincial governments; investment in infrastructure for agriculture and nutrition; framing and improving national trade policies for agribusiness.Department for International Development (DFID)UK AI

Analysing Linkages between Strategy, Performance, Management Structure and Culture in the Spanish Fresh Produce Industry

This article reports the results of an industry-level study that seeks to identify empirical regularities between firm strategy, management style, organisational structure and performance in the Spanish fresh fruit and vegetable (fresh produce) industry using strategic group analysis. Groups were formed from key dimensions reflecting firms' strategic orientations. Performance levels did not differ systematically between strategic groups, but performance was found to be influenced by the alignment between entrepreneurial culture and organisational structure. A move towards greater flexibility and/or adopting an entrepreneurial style are both likely to contribute to an improvement in the overall performance of the firm.Strategic groups, Business strategy, Management structure, Fresh, Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries,