Market orientation and performance of agro-food value chains in developing and emerging markets : the case of maize, teff, and beans seed supply chains in Ethiopia

Abstract

According to the World Bank, poverty is defined as a multidimensional concept encompassing low income and consumption, low educational achievement, poor health and nutritional outcomes, lack of access to basic services, and a hazardous living environment. It uses a poverty line of US$1.90 per day as an indicator of extreme poverty (WB, 2017).Unlike most of the rest of the world, the total number of extremely poor people in SSA is increasing, from 278 million in 1990 to 413 million in 2015 (WB, 2017). In 2015, SSA was home to 27 of the world's 28 poorest countries and had more extremely poor people than in the rest of the world combined. While the average poverty rate for other regions was below 13% as of 2015, it stood at about 41% in SSA (WB, 2017). Almost one in four people in SSA were estimated to be undernourished in 2017, representing about one-third of the 821 million people suffering from chronic hunger globally (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO, 2018).Sub-Saharan Africa region accounts for more than 950 million people, approximately 13% of the global population. By 2050, this share is projected to increase to almost 22% or 2.1 billion (OECD, 2016). Smallholder farms constitute approximately 80% of all farms in SSA (Gassner et al., 2019). In many of the countries, women comprise at least half of the labor force (FAO, 2015). However, food insecurity is increasingly concentrated in SSA. SSA remains the world's most food-insecure region, with almost one-fourth of people -over 230 million -being undernourished (FAO, IFAD, & UNICEF, 2019). Among all the regions of the world, SSA is the only region that recorded a 10% (17.4-27.8%) increase in the number of hungry people between the periods of 1990-1992 and 2014-2016. Globally, progress in fighting hunger has been steady with the prevalence of undernourishment falling from 14.7 to 10.6 percent between 2000 and 2015, while the number of undernourished declined from 900 million to 777 million over the same time (FAO, 2017a). A lot of factors accounting for the low level of food security in SSA, though vast regional differences remain: high population growth rates, low productivity of agricultural resources, political instability and civil strife (FAO et al., 2019;OECD, 2016).The success achieved (food security) in countries with stable political conditions, economic growth and expanding agricultural sectors suggests that appropriate governance systems,

Influence of Strategic Human Resource Capability on the Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Seed Companies in Kenya

“…Improving seed industry's SCA is touted to enhance provision of high-quality seed that will bring about high yields resulting to sufficient food security, wealth creation and economic growth (Westengen, et al, 2019;Bogale, 2021). Seed companies play a key role in contributing considerably to Kenya's food security, as well as overall economic growth and development through provision of certified seeds.…”

Strategic Organizational Learning Capability and Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Seed Companies in Kenya

“…This has also resulted in job opportunities shifting to exporting countries, leading to a significant increase in unemployment (Scott, Kamau, & Snyder, 2021). Improving seed industry's SCA is touted to enhance provision of high-quality seed that will bring about high yields resulting to sufficient food security, wealth creation and economic growth (Westengen, et al, 2019;Bogale, 2021).…”

Assessment of the Extent of Post-Harvest Losses Along the Cassava Value Chain in Anambra State

“…Production practices, crop losses, and waste rates influence the food system's efficiency in producing agricultural biomass and its utilization in meeting human nutritional requirements. Growing insinuation suggests that about one-third of the food produced in the world per year for human consumption is lost or wasted (Aktas et al, 2019a(Aktas et al, , 2019bBogale, 2021;González et al, 2013;McLean, 2021;Stuart, 2015). Food losses and waste total approximately $680 billion in industrialized countries and around $310 billion in developing countries (Sawicka, 2020).…”