Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Doctoral thesis  

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Authorship：Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Grain storage in pesticide-free hermetic bags is a promising alternative to synthetic pesticide treatment and storage in polypropylene bags for smallholder farmers but the hermetic bags are not conveniently available to rural customers. Developing a commercial hermetic storage bag distribution chain that supplies bags to smallholder farmers is a challenge for manufacturers. We therefore examined the factors affecting the design of grain synthetic insecticide distribution channels to draw lessons for hermetic bag manufacturers to consider. Key informant interviews with insecticide manufacturers and/or distributors and agricultural merchants along the supply chain from national to grassroots level were complemented with farmer focus group discussions. The insecticide distribution channels were analyzed in terms of channel length and breath. Some of the factors that influenced the length of the insecticide distribution channel included the manufacturer's financial, human and technological resources; the value-to-volume ratio of insecticide products; and the sparse geographic concentration of smallholder farmers. The number of intermediaries in each channel depended on farmer purchase habits, product features and market factors. Given the small operational scale of local insecticide formulators, distribution was mainly through intermediaries. The shorter one-tier supermarket distribution channel primarily served urban consumers while the traditional two-tier wholesaler-retailer channel served rural customers. To penetrate the rural smallholder market segment, the longer channel that placed inventory closer to farmers will continue to be the main route for hermetic bag manufacturers. With a low value-to-volume ratio product feature, collaboration between manufacturers of hermetic bags and rural retailers will be essential. In addition, a large-package delivery approach that aggregates retail orders for a particular farming radius should be considered.

DOI： 10.1016/j.jspr.2019.101520

Scopus

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.2307/j.ctvmd84q7.8

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

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Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD  

© 2019, © 2019 ROAPE Publications Ltd. Small family farmers aim to secure food through own production, and the surplus is only sold to finance productive and reproductive investments. The Fast Track Land Reform programme (FTLRP) caused a dramatic increase in the number of family farms, with approximately 180,000 families being resettled on 70% of agricultural land previously held by about 4500 commercial white farmers. This increased demand for agricultural capital goods, thus putting pressure on the under-resourced government of Zimbabwe, which had to provide inputs considering the FTLRP and capital outflows induced by the economic meltdown. The study tracks and maps out the position of family farmers in Zimbabwe with respect to the agricultural inputs and outputs markets over 15 years of land reform implementation. Specifically, the study utilises the SMAIAS 2013–14 Household Survey to calculate commercialisation indices for major agricultural crops in Zimbabwe. Commercialisation involves the creation of mechanisms that encourage farmers’ active participation and integration in the commodity markets. The survey results show that participation is found to be highly differentiated, with small-scale producers participating the least. More farmers were more active in the inputs markets than they were in the outputs markets, thus implying a perennial reduction of farmers’ incomes and productive asset investment capacity. Additionally, the study provides structural transformative policy alternatives for improving production and rural household income to reduce poverty.

DOI： 10.1080/03056244.2019.1609919

Scopus

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Center for African Area Studies, Kyoto University  

DOI： 10.14989/233009

CiNii Article

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Association of Global Studies, Doshisha University  

DOI： 10.14988/pa.2020.0000000133

CiNii Article

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.25159/0304-615x/2168

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Language：English   Publisher：Sam Moyo African Institute for Agrarian Studies Monographs  

DOI： 10.13140/RG.2.2.19495.19369

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation, 4, 17-48  

This paper analyses the impacts of integrating global south agricultural producers into the global markets through a case study of sugar outgrowers in Zimbabwe. The paper observes that the changed agrarian structure following the Fast Track Land Reform in Zimbabwe has reconfigured the agricultural finance system as private commercial banks are now using plantation estates as conduits to provide loans to sugar outgrowers. Contractual arrangements between sugar outgrowers and plantation estates are mainly for production and marketing. The paper also finds agrarian relations to be iniquitous and exploitative largely in favor of plantation estates. Indeed, though constrained, capital formation has been an ongoing process among outgrowers and we argue that it is dependent in nature because of its reliance on credit provided by the plantation estate. Incomes derived from sugar production have mainly been channeled towards the purchase of agricultural inputs as well as the payment of milling charges. The study is premised on two sugar estates in Chiredzi, owned by a South African based transnational company. Primary data was collected using questionnaires on 50 outgrowers who are working with Tongaat Hulett, as well as through-in-depth interviews with key informants. The methodology involved thorough verification exercises which included respondent re-visits before being entered into CS-Pro for further cleaning then exported to SPSS for analysis

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