High-Value Agricultural Products and Poverty Reduction: Smallholder Farmer Access to Maize Markets

Abstract

Staple commodities can be turned into high-value agricultural products (HVAPs) through a process of product differentiation.Using three high-value maize products as examples-sweet corn (Zea mays L.), baby corn, and green maize-this article illustrates the growing importance of maize as a vegetable crop. It highlights the challenges that need to be overcome to fulfill the potential pro-poor impact of the growing demand for high-value maize products. Smallholder farmers' access to high-value markets is often stymied by their having to meet strict phytosanitary standards and private food safety standards. Successful farmer access to HVAP markets depends on how the value chains are structured, the relationship between chain actors, and the judicious mix of public and private provision of business development services. The failure of perception of maize's multiple products and lack of recognition of the transaction costs that farmers face in accessing maize high-value markets have important implications for crop improvement, the seed industry, and policy if maize and other agricultural crops are to contribute more to poverty reduction and farmers' livelihood security.

Carotenoid and Tocochromanol Profiles during Kernel Development Make Consumption of Biofortified “Fresh” Maize an Option to Improve Micronutrient Nutrition

“…2 Fresh maize is potentially a high value product, fetching up to 5 times the price of grain. While China, Brazil, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya are the top fresh maize producing and consuming countries, 12 it also is an important food in many other sub-Saharan countries. The appearance of fresh maize often marks the end of the "hungry season", when previous harvest has been consumed and the current crop is still in the field.…”

Pest risk assessment of Spodoptera frugiperda for the European Union

“…Factors to take into account: Zea mays is a favoured host of S. frugiperda and larvae can cause serious damage to maize foliage, stems and ears. S. frugiperda is spreading and damaging maize in sub‐Saharan Africa. Eggs masses are usually laid on the underside of leaves so will not normally be associated with harvested sweetcorn. Young larvae on maize tend to feed on the foliage and will also generally not be associated with harvested sweetcorn. If attacked early in the growing season, maize plants may fail to produce cobs and hence there will be a lack of harvested product to export. Late instar larvae that attack more developed maize can chew through the protective leaf bracts into the side of the cob where they feed on the developing kernels (Abrahams et al., ) and could potentially be shipped with harvested cobs for export. Sweetcorn is harvested for fresh market consumption when the pollination silks are dried and the kernels are still immature making the ear firm and turgid (Szymanek et al., ). A short video showing production and processing of sweetcorn in Senegal is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xURItme4Uo The quality of fresh market sweetcorn is judged by its fresh, uniform appearance, uniform and well filled rows, plumpness of kernels, milky kernel contents, and freedom from damage and defects such as discoloration, harvest injury, pest damage, the presence of live insects, decaying silks or kernels (CargoHandbook.com, ). Smallholders growing sweetcorn are less likely to be able to manage S. frugiperda than larger growers. Smallholder farmers’ access to European export markets is often impeded by their having to meet strict food safety standards, industry quality standards and sometimes phytosanitary standards (Hellin et al., ). Between 2010 and 2016, 99.2% of sweetcorn exported into the EU from sub‐Saharan Africa came from Senegal (87.1%), Mozambique (4.3%), Kenya (3.1%), Ghana (2.0%), Zambia (1.5%) and South Africa (1.2%). As of March 2018, S. frugiperda was not confirmed as being present in Senegal although it was suspected to be there. S. frugiperda occurs year round in sub‐Saharan Africa with overlapping generations. Exports from sub‐Saharan Africa occur year round although most exports occur during the European winter, spring and early summer months. There are no records of S. frugiperda interceptions on Zea mays in the Europhyt interceptions database. Takahashi et al.…”

“…Ripe (coloured) peppers are less chill sensitive than green peppers. Above 13°C, peppers are subject to accelerated ripening and bacterial soft rot (CargoHandbook.com, ). Smallholder farmers’ access to European export markets is often impeded by their having to meet strict food safety standards, industry quality standards and sometimes phytosanitary standards (Hellin et al., ).…”

A Comparative Study on Changes and Relationships of Kernel Biochemical Components in Different Types of Maize

“…Therefore, enhancing the nutritional value and various quality traits of maize grain attracts a considerable research interest. Maize genotypes having kernels with enhanced biological and economical value are referred to as "specialty corn" or "high value maize" [1,2]. Among the specialty corns developed with breeding efforts, high-oil, high-protein, quality-protein maize (QPM) are some of the well-known examples [3].…”