Entering value chains and treadmills:An exploration of problems and arrangements in corn and bean production in South- Eastern Nicaragua

Msc Thesis presentation for MID by Ramona Langanki

Supervisor: Gerard Verschoor

Outline

1: Setting & research problem

2: Theory and concepts for a value chain

3: Research Question

4: Methodology and methods

5: Results problem analysis

6: Conclusion

7: Discussion

2: Setting and history

Theory and concepts for a value chain

Production Trade Wholesale

Actor Network Theory

●Rethinking taken for granted ideas

●Reveal complexities

●Look at context

Value Chain of corn and beans

•Knowledge •Enforced laws •Infrastructure •Information • Resources •Inputs •Stated & Underlying goals •Paradigms •Skills •Capacities •Networks •History & Past experiences •Negotiation • Persuasion& Propaganda •Consciousness

•Conventions •Rules •Power •Trust

Production Trade Wholesale

Research Question

How do actors in value chains of corn and beans frame problems with production and distribution, and how does this affect their strategies and interventions in the chain?

Methodology and methods

Case Study

Qualitative methods

Semi-structured interviews with farmers, traders, supporting actors

Participant observation

Event analysis

Videos, photos, voice recordings

Casual conversations

Results

• Main problems in chain for farmers

• Framing differs

• 4 Examples

1: Seeds

2: Farmers’ squeeze

3: Expert Solutions

4: Finger pointing

Conclusion

Farmers feel a treadmill and proposed solutions do not fit

Supporting actors see expert solutions as remedy for everything

They web into each others’ projects to reach underlying goals

Finding experiments of people that are not connected to any institutions. The picture is more diverse than suggested by technical problem focus with value chain analysis

Various actors are not reflective about their paradigms

Thank you!

What are your questions and remarks?

Discussion

Other values ?

Health and food perspectives?