Social and Economic Effects of Partnering for Sustainable Change in Agricultural Commodity Chains: A Southern Perspective.

Partnerships between businesses and nongovernmental organizations in the global North that address production of agricultural commodities in the global South have been used as a basis to improve the social and environmental aspects of production, while maintaining or improving the economic prospects of trade. These collaborative agreements have become commonplace since the mid-1990s and have been delivered through private sustainability standards, including for agricultural commodities like palm oil, coffee, and cocoa.Despite these initiatives, the current state of research indicates disagreement and intellectual tensions concerning the impact of these partnerships on the stakeholders they seek to benefit. For instance, while some studies have found positive effects on the establishment and functioning of producer organizations and on health and education of smallholder farmers, other studies have found that certification is unable to guarantee premium prices and that the bargaining power of farmers remains weak following certification. It is therefore unclear how and to what extent certification schemes contribute to the welfare of producers in Southern countries.