Organizational structures, gender roles and upgrading strategies of smallholders: A qualitative study of the local value chain in the Nigerian fishing sector

Ayobami Adetoyinbo,Verena Otter

doi:10.1002/bsd2.138

Abstract

AbstractTo achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, research concepts and empirical evidence are needed to upgrade smallholder activities within local value chains (LVCs) of many developing countries. Yet, comprehensive gender‐sensitive investigations of the evolution and multiplicity of governance in whole food systems with parallel functioning of local and modern value chains (MVCs) are greatly underrepresented in the scientific literature. This study aims to uncover LVCs' (a) value systems, (b) governance themes and gender roles for value addition and (c) smallholder upgrading strategies in developing countries' dualistic sectors. The global value chain framework serves as the conceptual basis for the study and is extended towards the gendered value web approach. Empirical data obtained through three focus group discussions, three Net‐maps and 21 interviews from the Nigerian shrimp sub‐sector represent the basis for the qualitative analysis. The results identified two lead actors—traders and women processors—who are crucial for the functioning of the complex value system. Further findings showed that fishermen and women processors are mutually reliant and are organized along their gendered comparative advantage. Based on these results, manifold managerial and policy implications, that are also applicable to other developing countries and cases, are derived to upgrade and develop smallholders' gendered activities and products along the LVC.

Highlights

The last decade has witnessed huge transformations in the food value chains of developing countries, such as rapidly increasing globalization, regionalization, modernization and technologization
This study aims to uncover local value chains (LVCs)' (a) value systems, (b) governance themes and gender roles for value addition and (c) smallholder upgrading strategies in developing countries' dualistic sectors
The global value chain framework serves as the conceptual basis for the study and is extended towards the gendered value web approach

Summary

Introduction

The last decade has witnessed huge transformations in the food value chains of developing countries, such as rapidly increasing globalization, regionalization, modernization and technologization These transformations are often associated with distributional effects that counteract the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Dürr, 2015; WTO, 2019). Smallholders respond to these changing situations by switching their marketing channels or interorganizational relationships (Lie, Rich, Kurwijila, & Jervell, 2012; Schipmann & Qaim, 2010). ADETOYINBO AND OTTER as a series of value-adding activities that are mostly carried out by informally coordinated micro- and small-scale actors, the products of which are meant for consumers within the same geographical location, country or region (Herr, 2007) With this definition, actors along LVC could simultaneously target traditional and regional markets. GVC is characterized by increasing spatial distances and complexities, and activities are carried out through inter-actor networks that source products from different suppliers across the world

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion