Abstract
Integration of smallholders in outgrower schemes has been advanced as a strategy for poverty reduction in the global south, but how terms and conditions of inclusion and exclusion shape divergent outcomes, and processes underpinning these local dynamics remain an under-researched area. This study, set in Zambia's southern ‘sugarbelt’ region of Mazabuka, draws on two contrasting outgrower schemes to examine determinants of smallholder inclusion in sugar value-chains, and consider how various terms and conditions underpining inclusion shape various interests, reactions and pathways for value capture among different local groups. Our study reaveals terms and conditions are important in shaping divergent outcomes for smallholders included in sugar value-chains. It shows determinants of inclusion and exclusion are complex and go beyond market imperatives that are production related (structural) to include social-cultural dynamics (non-structural). The centrality of the paper points to lived realities and experiences for different groups and political reactions from below, underlining how socially contested intersection of global–local value-chain produces diverse but interdependent hierarchies of inclusion and exclusion. For an early stage in planning of outgrower schemes by state and non-state actors, recognition of the various social groups and their complex engagement and reactions to changes in land-use and land control will not only expose competing interests but should inform polices, institutions and investments to improve value-chain impacts. This paper hopes to contribute towards a more nuanced understanding of the complex engagement of smallholders in changes in land use and land control in developing countries in the era of land-grabbing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 104877 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | World Development |
| Volume | 129 |
| Early online date | 22 Jan 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - May 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The second scheme was Magobbo Sugarcane Scheme, formed in 2008 and formerly a resettlement area. The government acquired the land from previous ranchers and resettled farmers, including former workers on the ranch. Prior to sugarcane, farmers grew various crops including maize, cotton, groundnuts, and cowpeas, sunflower and reared livestock. The Magobbo scheme was driven by support from the European Union's Accompanying Measures for Sugar Producing (AMSP) countries (Matenga & Hichaambwa, 2017).We thank the three anonymous reviewers for their guidance throughout the processes of developing this manuscript. We acknowledge the contribution of various people and institutions that assisted during field work, including Caroline Miti for assistance with initial edits and proofreading of our manuscript. Funding was provided by the University of Zambia and a Commonwealth Scholarship Commission research studentship to Simon Manda. Data is drawn from a PhD project, which can only be accessed through University of Leeds guidelines.
Funding Information:
We thank the three anonymous reviewers for their guidance throughout the processes of developing this manuscript. We acknowledge the contribution of various people and institutions that assisted during field work, including Caroline Miti for assistance with initial edits and proofreading of our manuscript. Funding was provided by the University of Zambia and a Commonwealth Scholarship Commission research studentship to Simon Manda.
Keywords
- Contract farming
- Outgrower schemes
- Political reaction from below
- Sugarcane
- Value-chain inclusion
- Zambia