Can Family Farmers Thrive in Commodity Markets? Quantitative Evidence on the Heterogeneity in Long Agribusiness Supply Chains

Thiago de Carvalho Verano, Gabriel da Silva Medina and João Ricardo de Oliveira Júnior
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Thiago de Carvalho Verano: Agronomy School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil
Gabriel da Silva Medina: Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
João Ricardo de Oliveira Júnior: Faculty of Management, Accounting and Economic Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia 74690-900, Brazil

Logistics, 2022, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Background : Family farmers’ participation in marketing channels has prompted debates on the types of market best suited to this type of farmer. Commodity production by rural communities and the role of agribusiness long marketing channels for family-based farmers are the subjects of numerous qualitative studies. However, quantitative studies capable of assessing the relevance of long channels to family-based farmers are scarce. Therefore, this study intends to assess the relevance of long marketing channels for family farmers. Methods : We compiled the data from the survey responses of family farmers from 155 municipalities in a state in the central region of Brazil. Results : (1) There was an economic concentration of some marketing channels, namely, the sale of commodities occurred in 35% of the municipalities and included 4.15% of the sampled family farmers. The income derived through these channels represented 2.13% of the farmers’ total income included in the study. (2) There is a low diversity of market types. On average, we found 2.95 long marketing channels per municipality. (3) Family farmers’ participation is low in most commodity long channels. Between 0.11% and 4.15% of the family farmers in the sampled municipalities participate in these channels. Long channels linked to the cattle production chain showed more relevant capacity for inclusion. Conclusions : Contrary to the expectations of those behind initiatives to promote the marketing and sale of locally-sourced commodities within rural communities, agribusiness long marketing channels provide limited opportunities for family farmers to market their goods.

Keywords: rural development; agri-food systems; alternative models; agriculture; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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