IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/apecpp/v46y2024i2p803-830.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Decent and equal work in agri‐food systems: Evidence from Peru

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Fabry
  • Monica Schuster
  • Miet Maertens

Abstract

Agri‐food systems are important sources of rural off‐farm employment, but insights on job quality are limited. We study job quality in the Peruvian horticultural sector and explore the driving forces of decent and equal work, using survey data and econometric methods. We find structural disparities in wages and job quality between men and women and between local and migrant workers, trade‐offs between wage and nonwage dimensions of decent work, and sector and company differences. Our findings contest that global value chains are a catalyst for decent and equal work and underscore the importance of formalization and government regulation of employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Fabry & Monica Schuster & Miet Maertens, 2024. "Decent and equal work in agri‐food systems: Evidence from Peru," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 46(2), pages 803-830, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:46:y:2024:i:2:p:803-830
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13415
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13415
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/aepp.13415?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:ner:leuven:urn:hdl:123456789/335950 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Goedele Van den Broeck & Kaat Van Hoyweghen & Miet Maertens, 2016. "Employment Conditions in the Senegalese Horticultural Export Industry: A Worker Perspective," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 34(2), pages 301-319, March.
    3. Alkire, Sabina & Foster, James, 2011. "Counting and multidimensional poverty measurement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(7-8), pages 476-487, August.
    4. Fortin, Nicole & Lemieux, Thomas & Firpo, Sergio, 2011. "Decomposition Methods in Economics," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 1, pages 1-102, Elsevier.
    5. Habtamu Yesigat Ayenew & Elisenda Estruch & Johannes Sauer & Getachew Abate-Kassa & Lena Schickramm & Peter Wobst, 2017. "Decent rural employment and farm production efficiency: empirical evidence from Tanzania and Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 48(5), pages 587-596, September.
    6. Felix Kwame Yeboah & Thomas S. Jayne, 2018. "Africa’s Evolving Employment Trends," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 803-832, May.
    7. Kirsten Sehnbruch & Brendan Burchell & Nurjk Agloni & Agnieszka Piasna, 2015. "Human Development and Decent Work: Why some Concepts Succeed and Others Fail to Make an Impact," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(2), pages 197-224, March.
    8. Christopher Cramer & Deborah Johnston & Bernd Mueller & Carlos Oya & John Sender, 2017. "Fairtrade and Labour Markets in Ethiopia and Uganda," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(6), pages 841-856, June.
    9. Brendan Burchell & Kirsten Sehnbruch & Agnieszka Piasna & Nurjk Agloni, 2014. "The quality of employment and decent work: definitions, methodologies, and ongoing debates," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 38(2), pages 459-477.
    10. Oya, Carlos & Schaefer, Florian & Skalidou, Dafni, 2018. "The effectiveness of agricultural certification in developing countries: A systematic review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 282-312.
    11. Gordon Betcherman, 2015. "Labor Market Regulations: What do we know about their Impacts in Developing Countries?," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 30(1), pages 124-153.
    12. Emily Conover & Melanie Khamis & Sarah Pearlman, 2022. "Job Quality and Labour Market Transitions: Evidence from Mexican Informal and Formal Workers," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(7), pages 1332-1348, July.
    13. Schuster, Monica & Maertens, Miet, 2013. "Do private standards create exclusive supply chains? New evidence from the Peruvian asparagus export sector," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 291-305.
    14. Luc Christiaensen & Miet Maertens, 2022. "Rural Employment in Africa: Trends and Challenges," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 267-289, October.
    15. Reardon, Thomas & Echeverria, Ruben & Berdegué, Julio & Minten, Bart & Liverpool-Tasie, Saweda & Tschirley, David & Zilberman, David, 2019. "Rapid transformation of food systems in developing regions: Highlighting the role of agricultural research & innovations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 47-59.
    16. Derek Yu, 2020. "Employment quality index for the South African labour market," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 276-294, March.
    17. Carlos Oya, 2013. "Rural wage employment in Africa: methodological issues and emerging evidence," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(136), pages 251-273, June.
    18. Liesbeth Colen & Miet Maertens & Johan Swinnen, 2012. "Private Standards, Trade and Poverty: GlobalGAP and Horticultural Employment in Senegal," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(8), pages 1073-1088, August.
    19. Thomas Reardon, 2015. "The hidden middle: the quiet revolution in the midstream of agrifood value chains in developing countries," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 31(1), pages 45-63.
    20. Jan Orbie & Lore Van den Putte & Deborah Martens, 2017. "The Impact of Labour Rights Commitments in EU Trade Agreements: The Case of Peru," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 6-18.
    21. Oya, Carlos & Schaefer, Florian, 2021. "The politics of labour relations in global production networks: Collective action, industrial parks, and local conflict in the Ethiopian apparel sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    22. Dharam GHAI, 2003. "Decent work: Concept and indicators," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 142(2), pages 113-145, June.
    23. Haroon Bhorat & Ravi Kanbur & Benjamin Stanwix, 2014. "Estimating the Impact of Minimum Wages on Employment, Wages, and Non-Wage Benefits: The Case of Agriculture in South Africa," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1402-1419.
    24. Miet Maertens & Johan F.M. Swinnen, 2012. "Gender and Modern Supply Chains in Developing Countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(10), pages 1412-1430, October.
    25. Monica Schuster & Liesbet Vranken & Miet Maertens, 2020. "You Can(’t) Always Get the Job You Want: Employment Preferences in the Peruvian Horticultural Export Chain," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(7), pages 1408-1429, June.
    26. Stephanie BARRIENTOS & Frederick MAYER & John PICKLES & Anne POSTHUMA, 2011. "Decent work in global production networks: Framing the policy debate," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 150(3-4), pages 297-317, December.
    27. Haggblade, Steven & Hazell, Peter B. R. & Reardon, Thomas Anthony (ed.), 2007. "Transforming the rural nonfarm economy: Opportunities and threats in the developing world," IFPRI books, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), number 978-0-8018-8664-5.
    28. Monica Schuster & Miet Maertens, 2017. "Worker Empowerment Through Private Standards. Evidence from the Peruvian Horticultural Export Sector," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 618-637, April.
    29. Catherine SAGET, 2001. "Poverty reduction and decent work in developing countries: Do minimum wages help?," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 140(3), pages 237-269, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Schuster, Monica & Vranken, Liesbet & Maertens, Miet, 2017. "You Can(’t) Always Get the Job You Want: Stated versus Revealed Employment Preferences in the Peruvian Agro-industry," Working Papers 254076, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    2. Fabry, Anna & Van den Broeck, Goedele & Maertens, Miet, 2022. "Decent work in global food value chains: Evidence from Senegal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    3. Anna Fabry & Goedele Broeck & Miet Maertens, 2022. "Gender Inequality and Job Satisfaction in Senegal: A Multiple Mediation Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 2291-2311, June.
    4. Fabry, Anna & Broeck, Goedele Van den & Maertens, Miet, 2021. "Gender Inequality and Job Satisfaction in Senegal: A Multiple Mediation Model," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315109, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Stemmler, Henry & Meemken, Eva-Marie, 2023. "Greenhouse farming and employment: Evidence from Ecuador," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    6. Sehnbruch, Kirsten & González, Pablo & Apablaza, Mauricio & Méndez, Rocío & Arriagada, Verónica, 2020. "The Quality of Employment (QoE) in nine Latin American countries: A multidimensional perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Maertens, Miet & Swinnen, Johan, 2015. "Agricultural trade and development: A value chain perspective," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2015-04, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    8. Marwan Benali & Bernhard Brümmer & Victor Afari‐Sefa, 2018. "Smallholder participation in vegetable exports and age‐disaggregated labor allocation in Northern Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(5), pages 549-562, September.
    9. Van den Broeck, Goedele & Swinnen, Johan & Maertens, Miet, 2017. "Global value chains, large-scale farming, and poverty: Long-term effects in Senegal," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 97-107.
    10. Ambler, Kate & de Brauw, Alan & Herskowitz, Sylvan & Pulido, Cristhian, 2023. "Viewpoint: Finance needs of the agricultural midstream," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    11. Knar Khachatryan & Aleksandr Grigoryan, 2024. "Multidimensional Deprivation from Labor Market Opportunities in Armenia: Evidence from 2018 and 2020," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 66(1), pages 126-165, March.
    12. Marije Schaafsma & Ilda Dreoni & Lacour Mody Ayompe & Benis Egoh & Dewa Putu Ekayana & Arilson Favareto & Sonny Mumbunan & Louise Nakagawa & Jonas Ngouhouo‐poufoun & Marieke Sassen & Thiago Kanashiro , 2023. "A framework to understand the social impacts of agricultural trade," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 138-150, February.
    13. Neda Trifkovic, 2024. "Certifiable management standards, labor productivity, and worker wages: Evidence from the food sector in Vietnam," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(1), pages 161-184, January.
    14. Schuster, Monica & Maertens, Miet, 2014. "Do labor standards benefit workers in horticultural export chains in Peru?," Working Papers 191037, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    15. Van den Broeck, Goedele & Kilic, Talip, 2019. "Dynamics of off-farm employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: A gender perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 81-99.
    16. Pablo González & Kirsten Sehnbruch & Mauricio Apablaza & Rocío Méndez Pineda & Veronica Arriagada, 2021. "A Multidimensional Approach to Measuring Quality of Employment (QoE) Deprivation in Six Central American Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 107-141, November.
    17. Jianli Luo & Chen Ji & Chunxiao Qiu & Fu Jia, 2018. "Agri-Food Supply Chain Management: Bibliometric and Content Analyses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-22, May.
    18. Green, Francis, 2021. "Decent Work and The Quality of Work and Employment," GLO Discussion Paper Series 817, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    19. Nicoli Nattrass & Jeremy Seekings, 2018. "Employment and labour productivity in high unemployment countries," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 769-785, September.
    20. Christiaensen, Luc & Rutledge, Zachariah & Taylor, J. Edward, 2021. "Viewpoint: The future of work in agri-food," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:46:y:2024:i:2:p:803-830. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)2040-5804 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.