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Editorial: ‘From the editor’
01.09.2019
This January will mark my fourth anniversary as editor-in-chief of Enterprise Development and Microfinance (EDM). Before joining EDM as editor, I had had prior engagement with the journal, having co-authored an article, published in 2012, on impact assessment for value chain development interventions. Also, in the early 2000s I had followed closely the discussion led by EDM on building viable markets for business development services. The decision to take on the editor role still required some thought; after all, I already had a full-time job to contend with, in addition to other responsibilities. Ultimately, the decision to accept reflected my long-standing appreciation for the journal’s unique focus: to promote better development by facilitating exchange of ideas and debate by academics (for the benefit of practice) and by practitioners (to inform research and policy). In the nearly 30 years since EDM launched its first edition, a few other journals have emerged that address business development in a developing country context; however, none of these aims to advance development programming as clearly and unapologetically as EDM. -
Partnerships in Fairtrade coffee: a close-up look at how buyers and NGOs build supply capacity in Nicaragua
01.02.2014
This paper examines efforts by buyers and NGOs to build the supply of Fairtrade coffee from the Nicaragua-based cooperative Soppexcca following the coffee crisis. Support was aimed at transforming Soppexcca into a viable business, able to respond to the needs of its coffee-farming members. Results show that Soppexcca made significant gains, including expansion of infrastructure, growth in membership, and increased financial stability. However, important issues remained, related to democratic governance, future growth and stability, and the provision of services. Results suggest that advances in building cooperatives do not easily translate into increased capacities at the household level. While some important gains were detected, in general, producers struggled to intensify coffee production and take full advantage of their access to preferential markets. This paper makes a plea for deeper discussions about how buyers and NGOs can more effectively contribute to building the supply of high-quality Fairtrade coffee, and the need for increased coordination and mutual learning as part of the process. -
When Fairtrade is not enough: coffee cooperative development and the role of certification systems
01.01.2020
Coffee cooperatives employ certification systems, in part, to structure their relations with growers and buyers, and generate income for business operations and investments. In Central America, development agencies have targeted certified coffee cooperatives for support, based on the assumption that cooperatives are uniquely positioned to deliver benefits to poor coffee farmers. Research on certification systems has focused on the benefits obtained by smallholders from participation in a single system, often Fairtrade. This research examines cooperatives and how they engage with certification systems and the implications of this engagement for building their business. Data was collected in 2018 from four cooperatives in Nicaragua and Honduras. Fairtrade certification and related coffee sales formed the bedrock of their business strategy, but Fairtrade alone was insufficient to sustain operations, even when combined with organic certification, due to insufficient demand. Additional systems, such as UTZ Certified, C.A.F.E. Practices, and Rainforest Alliance were employed. These additional systems allowed cooperatives to sell excess coffee on relatively favourable terms – coffee which otherwise would have been sold as non-certified coffee. Results suggest that engagement in multiple certification systems is critical for sustaining cooperatives in the region, but they also dampen expectations that certification systems can provide a framework for driving long-term systemic change. -
Building a viable maize hybrid value chain in Nepal: recent successes and the road ahead
01.06.2020
In Nepal, expanding the production of hybrid maize seed has been prioritized by the government to meet the country’s growing demand for maize grain. Over the past 15 years, Nepal has released seven new hybrid maize varieties, but only two varieties were commercialized until 2019. This article takes a value chain perspective to assess how a hybrid maize seed system can be developed in Nepal. We collected data from 415 maize-growing households, 11 seed producing businesses, 95 seed retailers, 15 service providers, and 21 end-use industries. Findings showed that the seed companies lacked capacity in production, business operations, and marketing while agro-dealers and farmers have depended on imported varieties. Upgrading the chain will require the provision of technical and financial services and a supportive regulatory environment. For seed businesses, this means improved access to parental lines and increased capacity to build demand for new hybrids in a competitive market place. -
Editorial
01.09.2020
Since the late 1990s, value chains and related concepts have captured the attention of researchers and practitioners alike. EDM’s 2017 double special issue on value chain development in agriculture attested to the enduring interest in the subject. Often, however, researchers and practitioners have thought about value chains in quite different ways. This has impeded the formation of a common language around value chains and the evolution of how value chain concepts are applied in rural development. For researchers, value chains are a theoretical framework around which to examine globalizing food markets and the numerous and important ways in which they have transformed relations between retailers, processors, farmers and consumers. For practitioners, however, value chains are actual configurations of farmers and business leaders, operating in the most challenging of business environments, who in theory can derive benefits from increased cooperation and coordination. Unpacking the twists and turns in value chain thinking and applications over time can shed light on why communication between researchers and practitioners has been so challenging, and crucially, future opportunities for more effective dialogue, action, and impact. -
Farewell editorial
01.12.2020
After nearly six years as editor of Enterprise Development and Microfinance, I am stepping down from this position at the end of 2020. I took the reins of EDM in May 2015 from Clare Tawney at Practical Action Publishing who, in addition to her various other activities at the company, had been serving as EDM’s interim editor. In 2015, I was fairly new in my position as a researcher in the CGIAR and was inexperienced in running a journal. Clare took a chance with me, and I remain grateful for the opportunity. From a personal perspective, I was excited about the opportunity that EDM offered to help shape discussions on how to make market-oriented development processes more responsive to the needs of local stakeholders, more efficient and sustainable, and ultimately, more impactful. Over the recent years I’ve learned a great deal about managing a journal, experiences which I have applied in my work in the CGIAR and which will no doubt be useful wherever I go next. I would like to warmly welcome Linda Jones, PhD, of Cowater International, who will be replacing me as editor as of January 2021.