Non-Traditional Crops, Traditional Constraints : The Adoption and Diffusion of Export Crops Among Guatemalan Smallholders

This paper uses a duration analysis based on adoption data spanning more than 25 years from six communities in the Central Highlands of Guatemala. The analysis explores how household characteristics and external trends play into both the adoption and diffusion processes of non-traditional exports among smallholders. Adoption was initially widespread and rapid, which led nontraditional exports to be hailed as a pro-poor success, reaching all but the smallest landholders. However, over time more than two-thirds of adopters eventually dropped out of production of nontraditional exports. Based on the analysis, production of nontraditional exports appears to have delivered less prosperity to adopters than initially promised. Although smallholders may be enticed into entering into nontraditional exports markets when conditions are favorable, they may lack the capacity to overcome the difficulties that inevitably arise in complex types of cultivations and in highly variable global agricultural markets. Governmental and non-governmental organizations can attempt to mitigate these difficulties, but market forces may overwhelm their efforts, with some adopters still unable to compete in global markets.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Carletto, Calogero, Kirk, Angeli, Winters, Paul, Davis, Benjamin
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2007-09
Subjects:	ACCESS TO CREDIT, AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION, AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS, AGRICULTURAL MARKETS, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, AGRICULTURAL SEASON, AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION, ANALYTICAL METHODS, ANTI-POVERTY, ASSET OWNERSHIP, AVERAGE PRICE, AVERAGE PRICES, CAPITAL ASSETS, CASH CROPS, CATTLE TECHNOLOGY, CENTRAL AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICAN, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS, COLD WEATHER, COMMERCIALIZATION, COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, CONSUMER PRICE, CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, CONSUMPTION LEVELS, CREDIT ACCESS, CREDIT CONSTRAINTS, CROP PRODUCTION, DAMAGES, DEBT, DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS, DISECONOMIES OF SCALE, DIVERSIFICATION, DOMESTIC MARKET, DRY SEASON, DURABLE GOODS, EARNINGS, ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC RESEARCH, ECONOMIES OF SCALE, ECONOMIES OF SCOPE, EQUIPMENT, EXCHANGE RATE, EXCHANGE RATES, EXPORT CROP, EXPORT CROPS, EXPORT MARKET, EXPORTS, EXTENSION, FARM HOUSEHOLDS, FARM SIZE, FARMER, FARMERS, FERTILIZERS, FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD SECURITY, FUNCTIONAL FORMS, GLOBAL MARKETS, HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, HOUSEHOLD ACCESS, HOUSEHOLD HEAD, HOUSEHOLD INCOMES, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HOUSEHOLDS, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN CAPITAL ASSETS, INEQUALITY, INFLATION, INFORMATION ASYMMETRIES, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT, INTERNATIONAL BANK, INTERNATIONAL MARKET, INTERNATIONAL TRADE, IRRIGATION, LAND ASSETS, LAND AVAILABILITY, LAND DEPLETION, LAND HOLDINGS, LAND OWNERSHIP, LAND PRICES, LAND QUALITY, LAND RESOURCES, LAND SHORTAGE, LAND SIZE, LIMITED ACCESS, LIQUIDITY, LIVELIHOODS, MAJORITY OF FARMERS, MALNUTRITION, MARKET ACCESS, MARKET CONDITIONS, MARKET FORCES, MARKETING, MORAL HAZARD, NEW MARKET, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NUTRITION, PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION, POOR FARMERS, POOR HOUSEHOLDS, POOR PEOPLE, POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES, POORER HOUSEHOLDS, POORER PEOPLE, POVERTY ALLEVIATION STRATEGY, POVERTY REDUCTION, PRICE CHANGES, PRICE DECLINES, PRICE FLUCTUATIONS, PRICE INCENTIVES, PRICE TREND, PRICE UNCERTAINTY, PRODUCT QUALITY, PRODUCTION COSTS, PROFITABILITY, RISK AVERSION, RISK MANAGEMENT, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, RURAL POOR, SCHOOLING, SCIENTISTS, SMALLHOLDER, SMALLHOLDERS, SOURCE OF CREDIT, SPREAD, SUBSTITUTE, SUSTAINABLE POVERTY ALLEVIATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UNEMPLOYMENT, VEGETABLE CROPS, VEGETABLES, VILLAGE, VILLAGE LEVEL, WEALTH,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2007/09/8358340/non-traditional-crops-traditional-constraints-adoption-diffusion-export-crops-among-guatemalan-smallholders http://hdl.handle.net/10986/7358
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