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    The role of producer organisations : the economic impact of membership on smallholder tea farmers in Myanmar : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agribusiness at Massey University, School of Agriculture and Environment, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Naw Diana
    Myanmar, despite its ideal climate conditions for tea cultivation and its being one of the major tea producers, smallholder tea farmers in the country face numerous challenges, including limited access to value-addition techniques, market information, affordable credit, and adequate infrastructure. Numerous studies suggest that producer organisations can address these issues by providing technical training, facilitating market access, and enabling collective bargaining, among other benefits. However, there is a significant research gap in understanding the economic impact of these organisations on Myanmar's tea industry. This study addresses this gap by exploring how producer organisations influence farmers' decisions to join and how membership subsequently affects their profitability. The study adopts a quantitative research approach using survey data collection methods. Before the survey, pre-interviews were conducted to gather insights and develop a comprehensive and relevant survey questionnaire. A survey was conducted with 400 smallholder tea farmers, comprising 239 members and 161 non-members of producer organisations. Econometric techniques, including probit regression and propensity score matching (PSM), were used to analyse the data. The probit regression model identified significant factors influencing the decision to join producer organisations, such as certification, access to market information, extension services, and education level. Specifically, certification increased the likelihood of joining by 89%, access to market information by 24%, extension services by 43% and education by 5.33%. In addition, the impact of membership on profit per acre was assessed using PSM, which revealed that membership significantly enhances profitability. The Nearest Neighbour Matching (NNM) and Radius Matching (RM) methods showed that membership results in significant average profit increases of 698,094 MMK and 640,183 MMK per acre, respectively. These results indicate that membership in producer organisations significantly enhances the profitability of smallholder tea farmers. The study suggests that encouraging wider participation in producer organisations is essential for enhancing the economic outcomes of more farmers. Producer organisations should strengthen their efforts, particularly in remote and less accessible areas, to inform farmers of membership benefits. Furthermore, governments and NGOs should actively support the development of producer organisations. Strengthening producer organisations' roles in facilitating certification, improving market linkages, and supporting sustainable farming practices will contribute to Myanmar's tea industry's long-term growth and sustainability.
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    Value chain interventions for satisfying urban high-quality rice demand in the Ashanti region of Ghana : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agribusiness, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Oppong, Abena Konadu
    Rice has become a staple food in most countries including Ghana where consumption has increased by more than 100% in the past 15 years due to urbanization and population growth, especially in urban areas. Urban consumers, who account for about 76% of the total rice consumption in Ghana, prefer imported rice to local rice due to its intrinsic (white and long grain, taste and aroma) and extrinsic (safety) attributes. The local rice is of low-quality and uncompetitive due to an underdeveloped value chain. This study therefore aimed to understand the rice value chain from input provision to farmers through retailing to the consumers in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, and identify how the local rice value chain can be improved through interventions to deliver high-quality rice for urban consumers and compete against imported rice. Face to face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data. This was complemented by field observations and document collation. The data were analyzed using a qualitative approach. Four key areas in the value chain were identified as barriers to delivering high-quality rice. They include; input supply (farmers' inability to get access to high-quality seeds), production and postharvest activities (harvesting and threshing constraints), processing (use of low standard or inappropriate machines), and retailing (inadequate packaging). Interventions to improve the local rice value chain require collective efforts of the chain actors, government in general, and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in particular. The interventions include the adoption of good agricultural practices (GAPs) by farmers, use of appropriate machinery and storage by processors and government supporting them in the form of joint ventures to ensure the local production and distribution of high-quality rice. Also, regular education and training for farmers by MoFA can help them to improve the quality and yield of local rice through adoption of better technology. This study has contributed to the understanding of rice value chain and proposed intervention strategies which, if implemented, will improve the local rice value chain and deliver higher-quality local rice for urban consumers and compete against imported rice.
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    Upgrading options for Myanmar fresh ginger value chains : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of AgriCommerce, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Phoo, Phoo
    The agriculture sector plays a significant role in the economy of Myanmar and contributes 32% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The current extent of the agriculture area in Myanmar is approximately 12 million hectares, occupying 18% of total cultivated land resources. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc) is one of the export crops in Myanmar with the annual production volume of 66,085 tons from an approximate cultivation area of 4,985 hectares. It is grown by smallholder farmers and offers major economic opportunity for more than 6,000 households in the Southern Shan State of Myanmar. Myanmar ginger production is only 3% of the total world ginger production. Although world demand for ginger is growing, exports from Myanmar are declining with 60 % of production has to be exported to low price regional markets with unstable demand and volatile prices. Hence, Myanmar needs to find out how to upgrade the fresh ginger value chains to export to high price markets such as the USA and the EU. This current study aims for a better understanding of the existing Myanmar fresh ginger value chain from production to end markets in overseas. Therefore, the present study investigated the constraints and opportunities of current Myanmar fresh ginger value chains along with identifying the upgrading options. Data from primary and secondary sources were used in this study by using a qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, mailed questionnaires and document collection methods. Being a non-priority crop in Myanmar, the ginger sector has been paid little attention by the Government and hence, very limited research and development on the Myanmar ginger sector has been conducted. In order to export fresh ginger to high price markets, Global-GAP or organic certificates are required. The major constraints faced by the ginger value chain actors for achieving those certificates are found to be the long-term use of chemical herbicides and lack of technical awareness of integrated pests and disease management protocol. Apart from that, the present status of harvesting and post-harvest handling practices is also a constraint for achieving those certificates. An unreliable export market, high price volatility and cashflow constraints are major limitations faced by the value chain actors. Exchange rate volatility is a key constraint faced by exporters. Cold chain facilities and limited access to international banks, are both major issues for exporting Myanmar fresh ginger to high price markets. Introduction of appropriate financial market based instruments to overcome cashflow constraints would encourage farmers to adopt better production practices and timing of harvest. Additionally, the government participation in multi-disciplinary research, along with NGO support in the ginger sector, is found to be essential for upgrading the fresh ginger value chain in Myanmar. Increased collaboration between the public and private sectors, such as improvement of logistic facilities in the country, is recommended to improve the Myanmar fresh ginger sector. Such collaboration should assist in the aim for effective exports to the high price and reliable markets in the near future.
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    Linking smallholder producers to high-value markets through producer cooperatives: A case study of vegetable producer cooperatives in Cambodia
    (International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, 10/02/2021) Tray B; Garnevska E; Shadbolt N
    Modern retail markets have grown in Cambodia, but vegetable growers are unlikely to gain benefits from these high value markets (HVMs). Producer cooperatives (PCs) could play a critical role in linking smallholder farmers to HVMs. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to examine the role of PCs in linking vegetable producers to HVMs; and (2) analyse the factors affecting successful participation in HVMs. This study applied a mixed methods approach to PCs selling the members’ vegetables to HVMs (PC-HVMs), and PCs selling members’ vegetables to traditional markets (TMs) only (PC-TMs). Both groups of PCs provided services to their members (e.g. input, financial, extension services). However, the content and quality of these services were different. PC-TMs emphasised only on support linked to production, while PC-HVMs focused on both production and marketing support. This study indicated that vegetable farming experience, total vegetable produce, and average vegetable prices had a statistically significant influence on producers’ participation in HVMs. However, vegetable farm size showed a negatively significant effect on participation in HVMs. As one of the very few empirical studies on PCs in Cambodia the research provides valuable context for further studies. It has developed and tested a framework for analysing the factors affecting successful participation in HVMs and provides an explanation of why some PCs can successfully participate in HVMs.