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Working paper series

Articles overview

  • What is the development impact of vertical coordination in agricultural value chains in LMICs?

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This literature review examines how vertical coordination—tighter corporate control across agricultural value chains—affects development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.  Having reviewed 19 academic studies on evidence-based outcomes of vertical coordination, the focus of the analysis is on three main impact areas: (1) local economic development, (2) local job creation, and (3) the inclusion of […]

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  • Living Income and Child Labour in the Cocoa Sector of Côte d’Ivoire

    • Institute
    • Publication

    KIT Working Paper Child labour remains a persistent human rights violation in international commodity supply chains, adversely impacting children’s physical and mental health and depriving them of educational opportunities (UNICEF, 2020). This holds true for the cocoa sector in Côte d’Ivoire; a country that produces 43% of all cocoa worldwide (ICCO, 2022). A nationwide study […]

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  • Agriculture & Health are Inseparably Linked in Work Towards Sustainable & Economic Development

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This working paper presents a framework to account for the links between agriculture and health in low- and middle-income countries. It is aimed at supporting public and private sector donors as well as practitioners in the design of strategies, interventions, applied research, and action towards strengthening the resilience of farmers and households by improving agriculture […]

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  • Promoting the role of smallholder farmers in the mitigation of climate change

    • Institute
    • Publication

    This article explores the drivers for smallholder farmers’ participation in climate change mitigation. In particular it aims to describe the mechanisms by which smallholder farmers can participate in and benefit from programmes which offset or inset carbon emissions and offer incentives for the provision of ecosystem services.

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  • Catalysing innovation: from theory to action

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 1 Feeding a growing population and responding to changing markets requires innovation in agriculture. The expectations of the contribution of agricultural research to innovation are high. This paper looks at the process of agricultural innovation and the realistic contribution agricultural research can make.

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  • Planning the unplannable: designing value chain interventions for impact @ scale

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 2 Value chain development approaches seldom deliver large scale impact. Based on the examination of five cases where impact at scale was realised, recommendations are offered to increase the chances of value chain interventions contributing to impact at scale. More working paper series

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  • Impact assessment and the quest for the Holy Grail

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 3 Evaluation is seen as vital for both accountability and learning purposes. This involves understanding not only what worked but also the process of change and why and how an intervention worked. Donors, programme managers and evaluators often claim to seek not only successful outcomes, but the ‘holy grail’ of […]

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  • Extension in Motion

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 4 Agricultural extension has a significant role to play in rural development. Yet, ‘extension’ itself is also developing and so is its role in development. How extension is understood, coordinated, financed and implemented has evolved over time. While agricultural extension used to be almost exclusively publicly funded and implemented in […]

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  • Market-based solutions for input supply: making inputs accessible for smallholder farmers in Africa

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 5 For agriculture to prosper, farm inputs need to be available, affordable, accessible, and good quality. Seeds, fertilizers, and agro-chemicals, are essential for improving the productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers in developing countries (World Bank, 2007, 2013; Rosegrant et al. ,2001; AGRA 2013; FAO, 2013). As input supply is […]

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  • Bringing agriculture and nutrition together using a gender lens

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 6 The feminization of agriculture is well recognized: women are acknowledged as the main food producers in mainstream development policy and practice. However, women are disproportionally affected by hunger and malnourishment. A growing body of literature focuseson how to contribute to improved nutrition through agricultural interventions. ‘Women’s empowerment’ is often […]

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  • Unleashing potential: gender and youth inclusive agri-food chains

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 7 “Nine billion by 2050” is a commonly cited prediction on global population growth that frames arguments about access to natural resources, as well as the future supply of sufficient and nutritious food. Solutions for meeting food needs and for mitigating environmental constraints include: sustainable agricultural practices; innovative technologies to […]

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  • Enhancing rural labour productivity

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Working Paper Series 2015 – 8 Donors are increasingly interested in agricultural growth and economic development. The persistence of poverty in rural areas and the role of agriculture in climate change and food security, has renewed interest in smallholder and family farming for development solutions.

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