AGRO-FOOD SYSTEMS AND GLOBALIZATION

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0218748
• Project Start Date: Jul 1, 2009
• Project End Date: Jun 30, 2014
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
208 MUELLER LABORATORY
UNIVERSITY PARK,PA 16802

Performing Department
Agri Economics, Sociology & Education

Non Technical Summary
Globalization has been characterized by the two-fold process of economic restructuring and growing global social interconnectedness. In agriculture, the restructuring of agro-food systems is taking place across national boundaries and affecting the environment, workers, economic actors, communities, women, governments, consumers and civil society groups in both developed and developing countries. Largely driven by ideologies of trade liberalization and export oriented growth, the restructuring of agro-food systems is associated with two broad forms of agricultural change. One is what McMichael (1998) identifies as an "intensive agricultural model." This model is characterized by the high agricultural productivity of basic food stuffs and processed foods, the vertical integration of agro-food industries, and high market power concentration by large businesses and/or transnational corporations (TNCs), predominant in industrialized nations. The second form of agro-food system restructuring is broadly characterized by the production of high-value and non-traditional agricultural export crops (NTAEs) controlled by TNCs, local landed elites and private and/or semi-private enterprises. With some exceptions, this form of agro-food restructuring increasingly tends to predominate throughout the developing world. These two broad arrays of agro-food system restructuring represent two differentiated forms of agricultural change, and, as Llambi points out, their degree of specialization and geographic patterns are indicative of a world division of labor between developed and developing country agricultural suppliers. The former delivers processed foods and basic staples while the latter specializes in high-value and non-traditional agro-exports for northern markets. Yet, while these forms of agricultural restructuring may parallel each other, they in fact are intrinsically interconnected. That is, these forms of agro-food restructuring do not exist in isolation. Rather, they influence each other through their competing uses of finite and semi-finite resources including land as well as political and economic capital. For instance, export-oriented crop production may compete with other forms of agriculture (i.e., subsistence agriculture) for the best agricultural lands, government financial resources and political leverage. Conversely, the predominance of intensive agriculture over a particular agro-food system may cause more resources to be poured into the creation of alternative agricultural models (i.e., organic farming).

Animal Health Component

50%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

50%

Applied

50%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
606	5010	3080	50%
608	6010	3080	25%
803	6199	3080	25%

Knowledge Area
803 - Sociological and Technological Change Affecting Individuals, Families, and Communities; 608 - Community Resource Planning and Development; 606 - International Trade and Development;

Subject Of Investigation
6199 - Economy, general/other; 6010 - Individuals; 5010 - Food;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;

Keywords

agro-food systems

globalization

development

agricultural restructuring

institutional change

non-traditional agricultural exports (ntaes)

export-oriented development

high-value crops

governance

trade

food security

Goals / Objectives
(1) To analyze the differentiated roles that states, actors and civil society play in the restructuring of agro-food system at various geopolitical scales. (2) To better understand the impacts of agro-food system restructuring on food security, labor, women, the environment, and local communities. (3) To analyze the differentiated (re)organizational strategies of producers in intensive agriculture and NTAEs by examining various case studies in institutionally, developmentally and geographically dissimilar sites.

Project Methods
This project will study intensive agriculture and NTAEs as mutually influencing agricultural forms of agro-food system restructuring. It comparatively examines the processes associated with the restructuring of intensive agriculture and high-value NTAEs across dissimilar geographic, institutional and developmental world regions by exploring the role of states, economic actors and civil society in shaping the processes and outcomes of agro-food system (re)organization. The empirical aim of this project is to go beyond past efforts to study single sites within homogeneous developmental regions and to question the processes of agro-food systems restructuring, uneven development, and institutional change across dissimilar contexts characteristic of today's market relations. Theoretically, a comparative approach to agro-food system restructuring allows for a closer examination of the adaptive, contested and mediated responses of stakeholders at various geopolitical scales, highlighting homogenizing as well as divergent outcomes associated with broad processes of agro-food system restructuring. This project has wide ranging policy implications for issues including: food security, trade, development and governance. For instance, policy interventions associated with food security are generated at the national scale and aimed at increasing developing country exports and the import of processed foods and basic staples. Yet, food insecurity at the sub-national scale has become more prevalent. A comparative examination of the competing claims for land and economic resources of NTAEs versus food production at the sub-national scale may point to the marginalization of local food systems and the need to create sub-national policy interventions seeking to ameliorate these tensions. Similarly, the comparative examination of supply chain restructuring may yield important development policy recommendations given the potential rivalries between suppliers located in developing states and their competitors operating in northern markets. That is, as developing country suppliers increasingly compete in northern markets, they are more likely to be susceptible to politically-motivated import restrictions undermining their potential to generate export-based economic growth. The comparative study of supply chain incorporation into world markets has important policy implications given the market segments (low/high value) they choose to pursue in world markets and their exposure to competitive pressures. From this project's perspective, agro-food systems restructuring emerge not as isolated sets of policy created at the national scale and seamlessly coordinated sub-nationally and across national political boundaries. Rather, it highlights the dynamic interests that shape the form of agro-food systems and reflects discrepancies in the articulation of policies and interests across geopolitical scales.

Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: This project’s target audiences include students, scholars in various disciplines including Rural Sociology, Economics, Geography, and Planning, and other interested parties. Target audiences were reached through presentations at annual professional conferences such as the Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) (New Orleans and Chicago), the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) (New York, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Boston, Reading (PA)), and the Annual Meeting of the American Collegiate Society of Planners (ACSP) (Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Chicago). In addition, target audiences were reached through published materials, invited lectures and presentations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project has provided various opportunities for training and professional development for my graduate students and myself through participation in academic events and publishing. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results of this research have been disseminated at the annual confereces of three different academic societies, through invited lectures and talks and through publications. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For this period, an important accomplishment were the number of publications and public presentations originating from accomplishing goals (1) and (2).

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Sachs, C. and Patel-Campillo, A. 2014. Feminist Food Justice: Crafting a New Vision. Feminist Studies 40 (2) 1-14.
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2015 Citation: Patel-Campillo, A. and M.R.C. Bernardini (2015). The Political Economy of Colombian Agriculture in the Handbook of International Political Economy of Agriculture and Food.

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences: students, academics, and other interested parties. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This project has providedvarious opportunities for training and professional development, including participation in a workshop on critical thinking and pedagogy, opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across the disciplines, as well as providing the necessary experience to engage in a larger related project, that if funded by the NSF, will fund graduate students and help them sharpen their research skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A manuscript was presented at the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) annual conference in the Sociology of Agri-food Research Group (SAFRIG), Chicago, IL. July 26-29. Also the results are being disseminated through my publications. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? I plan to continue preparing manuscripts, presenting findings at conferences, and publishing.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? For this period, an important accomplishment was to publish the findings of the project in a top journal (Sociologia Ruralis) in the field. In addition, other goals accomplished include the publication of one book chapter, two journals to revise and resubmit and one chapter in progress. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A manuscript was presented at the Rural Sociological Society (RSS) annual conference in the Sociology of Agri-food Research Group (SAFRIG), Chicago, IL. July 26-29.

Publications

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: In this FFY, the Principal Investigator (PI) published three articles in three highly ranked peer-reviewed journals based on findings related to this research. The PI was awarded funding from the Horace T. Woodward Faculty Development Fund in Agricultural Science to support professional development activities of Assistant Professors in the College of Agriculture. The PI was also nominated to the Penn State Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, a National Honor Society of Agriculture, society that works toward the advancement of agriculture, the continuance of the relations between agriculture and related sciences with industries, and the recognition of the multifaceted importance of agriculture to humankind. The PI has also completed her research on the Pennsylvania wine industry and has two manuscripts ready for submission. The PI was selected to deliver a paper entitled Forging the Neoliberal Competitiveness Agenda: Planning Policy and Practice in the Dutch and Colombian Cut Flower Commodity Chains at the American Collegiate Society of Planners (ACSP). PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this project include: domestic and international policymakers and academics, students, and agro-industry among others. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The PIs academic activities including her publications and participation in academic conferences have contributed to a better understanding of the socio-economic conditions associated with the trade in cut flowers, and the developmental effects of export-oriented cut flower production on workers, municipal governments, and national policy. The PI has also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the classroom regarding issues of development, trade and food security as well as the impact of agro-industry restructuring on local communities and the environment. She also co-taught a course on the political and economic transition of Viet Nam and traveled with students as part of this embedded course. The PI's work on a new research project on the Pennsylvania wine industry has generated two manuscripts which will be submitted for publication by the end of the year. Similarly, given the PIs research on food systems and food security, she was selected to participate in the The Pennsylvania State University's Global Engagement Network on Global Food Security and the Pennsylvania State University's Global Engagement Network on Peru.

Publications

• Patel-Campillo, A. 2011. Forging the neoliberal competitiveness agenda: planning policy and practice in the Dutch and Colombian cut-flower commodity chains. Environment and Planning 43:2516-2532.
• Patel-Campillo, A. 2012. The Gendered Production-Consumption Relation: Accounting for Employment and Socioeconomic Hierarchies in the Colombian Cut flower Global Commodity Chain. Sociologia Ruralis 52(3):272-293.

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: In this FFY, the Principal Investigator (PI) published one article in a highly ranked peer-reviewed journal based on the findings related to this research project. The PI received the Roy C. Buck Faculty Award in the College of Agricultural Sciences for her article "Agro-Export Specialization and Food Security in a Sub-National Context: the Case of Cut Flowers in Colombia" were published in Review of International Political Economy (RIPE) and Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy & Society (CJRES). The Roy C. Buck Faculty Award recognizes tenure track faculty for the best refereed single authored article published in a scholarly journal. The PI was also awarded funding from the Horace T. Woodward Faculty Development Fund in Agricultural Sciences to conduct research on the Pennsylvania wine industry. The PI also started a new research project on food systems planning in five states in the United States. She participated in the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) offered by the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. The PI was also selected to deliver a paper entitled "Planning for Economic Development in a Global Economy: The Dutch and Colombian Cut Flower Agro-industries in Comparative Perspective" at the American Collegiate Society of Planners (ACSP). The PI conducted preliminary field research in Vietnam on food security. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this project include: domestic and international policymakers and academics, students, and agro-industry among others. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The PI's academic activities including her publications and participation in academic conferences have contributed to a better understanding of the socio-economic conditions associated with the trade in cut flowers, and the developmental effects of export-oriented cut flower production on workers, municipal governments, and national policy. The PI has also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the classroom regarding issues of development, trade and food security as well as the impact of agro-industry restructuring on local communities and the environment. The PI's work on a new research project on the Pennsylvania wine industry resulted in the creation and administration of a survey tool to ascertain the challenges and opportunities currently facing the PA wine industry. Similarly, given the PI's research on food systems and food security, she was selected to participate in The Pennsylvania State University's Global Engagement Network on Global Food Security.

Publications

• Patel-Campillo, A. 2011. Transforming Global Commodity Chains: Actor Strategies, Regulation, and Competitive Relations in the Dutch Cut Flower Sector. Economic Geography 87:79-99.

Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Since the inception of this project, the Principal Investigator (PI) published two articles in highly ranked peer-reviewed journals based on the findings related to this research project. The PI delivered a conference paper entitled "(Dis)organizing the Dutch Cut Flower Global Commodity Chain: Accounting for Actor Strategies and Competitive Relations in World Markets" at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG), Washington D.C. April 14-18, 2010. In addition the PI's paper "Planning for Economic Development in a Global Economy: The Dutch and Colombian Cut Flower Agro-industries in Comparative Perspective" was accepted for presentation at American Collegiate Society of Planners (ACSP), Minneapolis, October 7-10, 2010. The PI conducted follow-up research in Colombia during the summer and received funding from the Penn State Social Science Research Institute to expand this line of research. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this project include: domestic and international policymakers and academics, students, and agro-industry among others. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Some of the impacts and findings related to this project have contributed to a better understanding of the socio-economic conditions associated with the trade in cut flowers, and the developmental effects of export-oriented cut flower production on workers, municipal governments, and national policy. This project has also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the classroom regarding issues of development, trade and food security as well as the impact of agro-industry restructuring on local communities and the environment. The PI was a selected participant in a workshop in Richmond, VA where she presented a paper in progress to a group of international scholars related to this project.

Publications

• Patel-Campillo, A. 2010. Rival Commodity Chains: State Regulation and Agency in the U.S. and Colombian Cut Flower Agro-Industries. Review of International Political Economy 17(1):75-102.
• Patel-Campillo, A. 2010. Agro-export specialization and food security in a sub-national context: the case of Columbia cut flowers. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 3:279-294.

Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Since the inception of this project, the Principal Investigator (PI) delivered a conference presentation entitled "Trade Liberalization, Export-led Economic Development and Colombian Cut Flower Exports in a Sub-National Context" at the Agriculture and Human Values conference which took place in State College, PA. The PI also participated in a workshop in Boulder, CO where she presented some of the research findings related to this project. Some of the impacts and findings related to this project have contributed to a better understanding of the social, institutional and economic conditions of Colombian cut flower production on workers, municipal governments, and national development efforts. A portion of these findings will be published in an article entitled "Rival Commodity Chains: State Regulation and Agency in the U.S. and Colombian Cut Flower Agro-Industries," which has been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Review of International Political Economy (RIPE) in 2010. This project has also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the classroom regarding issues of development, trade and food security, and globalization and agro-industry restructuring and its impacts on local communities and the environment. The PI is currently conducting research on the restructuring on the Dutch cut flower agro industry. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project has also contributed to the dissemination of knowledge in the classroom regarding issues of development, trade and food security, and globalization and agro-industry restructuring and its impacts on local communities and the environment. The PI is currently conducting research on the restructuring on the Dutch cut flower agro industry.

Publications

• No publications reported this period