Geographical Knowledge: A Catalyst for Reconfiguring Global Production Networks?

Jana Rülke and Martin Franz

Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 2025, vol. 116, issue 5, 637-655

Abstract: This paper explores how geographical knowledge can foster the reconfiguration of global production networks (GPNs), particularly in agri‐food sectors reliant on Global South commodities like cocoa. These networks often reflect colonial‐era patterns, where raw materials are sourced in the Global South, yet value‐added processing occurs in the Global North. For the first time, this study examines Fairafric, a German company financed by crowdfunding, with a chocolate factory in Ghana, as a case of how geographical knowledge can reconfigure production networks. Using the GPN framework and applying a mixed‐methods approach, including qualitative interviews and a farmer survey, the findings indicate that geographical knowledge enhances customer support for products manufactured closer to the source of raw material, catalysing local development and employment in rural Ghana. This shift promotes ethical consumption, investment and value capture in producing regions but also reveals structural and regulatory global production network challenges that could limit wider transformation.

Date: 2025
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