Domestic Crop Booms, Livelihood Pathways and Nested Transitions: Charting the Implications of Bangladesh's Pangasius Boom

Abstract

Rapidly transforming Asian food systems are oriented largely towards domestic markets, yet literature on Asian crop booms deals almost exclusively with commodities produced for export. With reference to pangasius aquaculture in Bangladesh, we argue that ‘domestic crop booms’ – agricultural booms driven by domestic demand – are contributing to rapid social and ecological transformations in Asia and across the globe. We adopt a comparative multi‐scalar approach, and develop the concept of ‘livelihood pathways’ as a means of understanding agrarian change associated with crop booms. The study reveals sharply divergent patterns of social change resulting from the pangasius boom, as experienced in two different village settings, despite underlying similarities in the processes of commodification evident in both. In addition to drawing attention to domestic crop booms and the diversity of transitions in which they result, the paper demonstrates the value of comparative multi‐scalar analytical approaches and the importance of livelihood pathways in processes of agrarian change.

‘Prosperity beyond belief’: The interaction between a potato crop boom, vulnerability and volcanic hazard in Central Java, Indonesia

“…During this period of research, the domestic market was consuming all of the potatoes grown in Dieng, and the industry had yet to experience a serious bust (see also Belton et al . ).…”

“…The rise of an Indonesian middle class, and associated shifting diets, has increased the demand for potatoes consumed as chips in fast food outlets in urbanized areas, and locally produced potato crisps in rural areas (Adiyoga et al, 1999). During this period of research, the domestic market was consuming all of the potatoes grown in Dieng, and the industry had yet to experience a serious bust (see also Belton et al 2017).…”

“…Unlike the historic cultivation of export oriented commodity crops in Indonesia under the Dutch colonial government (Boomgaard, ), Dieng's potato boom responded largely to domestic demands (see also Belton et al ., on Bangladesh's catfish boom). The rise of an Indonesian middle class, and associated shifting diets, has increased the demand for potatoes consumed as chips in fast food outlets in urbanized areas, and locally produced potato crisps in rural areas (Adiyoga et al ., ).…”

Food system perspective on fisheries and aquaculture development in Asia

“…Two major themes emerge from the literature sampled. First, the papers emphasize the development of farmed fish supply chains towards the provisioning of cities (E-Jahan et al 2010; Karim et al 2011;Toufique and Belton 2014;Belton et al 2016). These papers show that urbanization translates into increased demand for (farmed) fish, rendering the development of the sector largely a periurban phenomenon, with fast-developing supply chains and associated services.…”

The relentlessde factoprivatization process of Chilika Lake, India

“…All in all, this decision appears to be importantly conditioned by the uncertainty of their socioeconomic conditions – which has only increased in the course of time. In the face of this reality it is possible to recognize a ‘level of implicit coercion’ underlying the collective decision to be involved in aquaculture practices – a scenario which has been recently highlighted by Belton, van Asseldonk, and Bush (2017) in a Bangladeshi context, albeit through the unfolding of different dynamics. Moreover, the Chilika fishing people are also exposed to the threat of explicit coercion.…”