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Cited by 372Agriculture and Agroindustry StudiesEconomics of Agriculture and Food MarketsGlobal trade, sustainability, and social impact

Agri-food value chain revolutions in low- and middle-income countries

Barrett, Christopher B., Reardon, Thomas, Swinnen, Johan, Zilberman, David·2022·Journal of Economic Literature
DOI 10.1257/jel.20201539
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Abstract

Agri-food value chains (AVCs) intermediate the flow of products between largely rural farmers, fisherfolk, or herders and increasingly urban consumers. The theoretical models that historically structured research on the economic development process assumed away AVC functions, however, and AVC firms and workers were necessarily omitted from the household data that generated most empirical findings in the agricultural and development economics literatures. As a result, the discipline has somewhat overlooked the rapid growth and structural change in AVCs over the past few decades that turned AVCs into major employers and sources of value addition, as well as key loci for technology transfer and foreign investment. This paper offers an integrated, structured, empirical narrative of how and why AVC revolutions occur in developing countries, the impacts of those changes, and the abundant economic research opportunities these structural changes afford economists. (JEL L14, L81, O13, O33, Q12, Q13, Q17)

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145 of 145 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The largest global commodity traders sell inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds to the producers who are also their suppliers of agricultural commodities, further shaping material aspects of the food system by determining the specific types of technologies used in production for significant portions of the market.

    “For example, the largest global commodity traders sell inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds to the producers who are also their suppliers of agricultural commodities, further shaping material aspects of the food system by determining the specific types of tech­ nologies used in production for significant portions of the market (e.g., Grabs and Carodenuto 2021; Barrett et al. 2”

    From Corporate concentration and power matter for agency in food systems (2025) · cites this paper as Barrett et al. 2022

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Related

Authors
Barrett, C. B., Reardon, T., Swinnen, J., & Zilberman, D.
Affiliations
  • Cornell University (US)
  • Michigan State University (US)
  • International Food Policy Research Institute (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Economic Literature
Publisher
American Economic Association
Published
2022-12-01
Volume
60
Issue
4
Pages
1316-1377
ISSN
0022-0515 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1257/jel.20201539
OpenAlex
W3121596959
Cited by
371
References
147
Citations by year
2026: 117 · 2025: 89 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 72 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 2
FWCI
84.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Economic Literature (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • IFPRI E-brary (International Food Policy Research Institute) (submittedVersion)
  • CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) (submittedVersion)
  • International Food Policy Research Institute (International Food Policy Research Institute) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agriculture and Agroindustry Studies
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economics of Agriculture and Food Markets
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Global trade, sustainability, and social impact
Keywords
agri-food value chains, low- and middle-income countries, urban-rural relations, value addition, technology transfer, foreign investment, agricultural employment, economic development

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