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IFAD Research Series 78: The Small and Medium Enterprises’ quiet revolution in the hidden middle of food systems in developing regions

Author

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  • Reardon, Thomas
  • Liverpool-Tasie, Saweda
  • Minten, Bart

Abstract

Food systems are made up of a cluster of different value chains, including output, lateral, and research and development. This paper explores the rise of SMEs in transforming food systems—from traditional, to transitional, to modern. It discusses SMEs roles in the evolution, structure, and conduct of each segment of the midstream. It examines the impacts of the rise of midstream SMEs on employment, small farms, the environment and consumers.

Suggested Citation

  • Reardon, Thomas & Liverpool-Tasie, Saweda & Minten, Bart, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 78: The Small and Medium Enterprises’ quiet revolution in the hidden middle of food systems in developing regions," IFAD Research Series 321998, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:unadrs:321998
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.321998
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Reardon, Thomas & Timmer, C. Peter, 2007. "Transformation of Markets for Agricultural Output in Developing Countries Since 1950: How Has Thinking Changed?," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: Robert Evenson & Prabhu Pingali (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 55, pages 2807-2855, Elsevier.
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    9. Christine M. Sauer & Thomas Reardon & David Tschirley & Saweda Liverpool‐Tasie & Titus Awokuse & Roselyne Alphonce & Daniel Ndyetabula & Betty Waized, 2021. "Consumption of processed food & food away from home in big cities, small towns, and rural areas of Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 52(5), pages 749-770, September.
    10. repec:bla:devpol:v:21:y:2003:i::p:333-355 is not listed on IDEAS
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    13. Minten, Bart & Reardon, Thomas & Singh, K.M. & Sutradhar, Rajib, 2012. "The New and Changing Roles of Cold Storages in the Potato Supply Chain in Bihar," MPRA Paper 61109, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 14 Sep 2014.
    14. Dale Yi & Thomas Reardon, 2015. "Allocative Efficiency of Agrifood Traders: Shrimp Traders in Indonesia," Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(3), pages 405-423, December.
    15. Thomas Reardon & C. Peter Timmer, 2012. "The Economics of the Food System Revolution," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 4(1), pages 225-264, August.
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    17. Minten, Bart & Mohammed, Belay & Tamru, Seneshaw, 2020. "Emerging medium-scale tenant farming, gig economies, and the COVID-19 disruption: Evidence from commercial vegetable clusters in Ethiopia," ESSP working papers 149, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    20. Snyder, Jason & Ijumba, Claire & Tschirley, David & Reardon, Thomas, 2015. "Local Response to the Rapid Rise in Demand for Processed and Perishable Foods: Results of an Inventory of Processed Food Products in Dar es Salaam," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Briefs 259798, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    21. Adjognon, Serge G. & Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis Saweda O. & Reardon, Thomas A., 2017. "Agricultural input credit in Sub-Saharan Africa: Telling myth from facts," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 93-105.
    22. Snyder, Jason & Ijumba, Claire & Tschirley, David & Reardon, Thomas, 2015. "Local Response to the Rapid Rise in Demand for Processed and Perishable Foods: Results of an Inventory of Processed Food Products in Dar es Salaam," Food Security Collaborative Policy Briefs 210881, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    23. Gona, Ayuba & Woji, Gwoni & Norbert, Sunday & Muhammad, Hajaru & Liverpool-Tasie, Lenis S. O. & Reardon, Thomas & Belton, Ben, 2018. "The Rapid Transformation of the Fish Value Chain in Nigeria: Evidence from Kebbi State," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 279864, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    24. Thomas Reardon & Julio A. Berdegué, 2002. "The Rapid Rise of Supermarkets in Latin America: Challenges and Opportunities for Development," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 20(4), pages 371-388, September.
    25. Echanove, Flavia & Reardon, Thomas, 2006. "Wholesale Markets, Horticulture Products, and Supermarkets in Mexico," Staff Paper Series 11586, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    26. Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie & Ayala Wineman & Sarah Young & Justice Tambo & Carolina Vargas & Thomas Reardon & Guigonan Serge Adjognon & Jaron Porciello & Nasra Gathoni & Livia Bizikova & Alessand, 2020. "A scoping review of market links between value chain actors and small-scale producers in developing regions," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(10), pages 799-808, October.
    27. Sara Ratna Qanti & Thomas Reardon & Arief Iswariyadi, 2017. "Triangle of Linkages among Modernising Markets, Sprayer–traders, and Mango-farming Intensification in Indonesia," Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 187-208, May.
    28. Haggblade, Steven & Hazell, Peter & Reardon, Thomas, 2010. "The Rural Non-farm Economy: Prospects for Growth and Poverty Reduction," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 1429-1441, October.
    29. Pingali, Prabhu, 2007. "Westernization of Asian diets and the transformation of food systems: Implications for research and policy," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 281-298, June.
    30. Minten, Bart & Kyle, Steven, 1999. "The effect of distance and road quality on food collection, marketing margins, and traders' wages: evidence from the former Zaire," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 467-495, December.
    31. Siba, Eyerusalem, 2015. "Returns to Physical Capital in Ethiopia: Comparative Analysis of Formal and Informal Firms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 215-229.
    32. Minten, Bart & Reardon, Thomas & Vandeplas, Anneleen, 2009. "Linking urban consumers and rural farmers in India: A comparison of traditional and modern food supply chains," IFPRI discussion papers 883, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    33. Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool‐Tasie & Awa Sanou & Thomas Reardon & Ben Belton, 2021. "Demand for Imported versus Domestic Fish in Nigeria," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(3), pages 782-804, September.
    34. 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.
    35. Reardon, Thomas & Berdegue, Julio & Escobar, German, 2001. "Rural Nonfarm Employment and Incomes in Latin America: Overview and Policy Implications," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 395-409, March.
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    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy; Community/Rural/Urban Development; Production Economics;
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