Value chains and sustainable development: A perspective of sustainable coffee value chains in East Africa

Abstract

AbstractSustainable development concerns have been integrated into global value chains through the enforcement of sustainability standards, making the chains sustainable. Understanding the sustainability effects of sustainable value chains has been limited by the narrow focus on one standard, few larger comparative perspectives, methodological weaknesses, and diversity of contexts. This article analyses how sustainable coffee value chains contribute to sustainable development. Systematically, the study reviewed peer‐reviewed publications based on causal methodologies and primary data collected from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The paper shows that sustainable value chains promote sustainable development, but their effects vary across sustainability dimensions and standards. Fairtrade has a higher contribution to social sustainability because it emphasizes social issues. Organic standards and the Rainforest Alliance also have a higher contribution to ecological sustainability because they emphasize ecological conservation. Sustainable coffee value chains have more contributions to social and ecological sustainability than economic sustainability because of the trade‐offs that ensues from conversion to sustainable value chains. However, combining standards reduces trade‐offs. The sustainability effects of sustainable value chains also vary across cooperatives because of their heterogeneity.