Sustainability standards in agribusiness: revisiting academic literature approaches

Versions

PDF (Español (España))

Keywords

sustainability standards; private governance; global value chain; agribusiness.

How to Cite

Orcasita-Cordoba, S. L., Lizcano-Prada, J., & Lombana-Coy, J. (2021). Sustainability standards in agribusiness: revisiting academic literature approaches. Clío América, 14(28), 518–531. https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.4043 (Original work published November 20, 2020)

Abstract

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development stands for global recognition of sustainable production and consumption. Since then, the Sustainability Standards have grown in number and prominence on trading process, particularly on agri-food products. This article seeks to determine the main study lines in the academic literature on Sustainability Standards in agribusiness. A bibliometric technique is used to find the connections between articles indexed in the Web of Science database. The bibliometric analysis resulted in three lines in the literature in business and management: governance, value chain, and impact measurement of standards in the production and commercialization of agri-food products such as coffee, bananas, palm oil and, cocoa. This article identifies authors who have addressed the Sustainability Standards in Agribusiness and frames future research lines focused on impact measuring and Sustainable Development Goals achievement; private governance and value chain approach and private development standards by retailers.
https://doi.org/10.21676/23897848.4043
PDF (Español (España))

References

Andres, C., y Bhullar, G. S. (2016). Sustainable Intensification of Tropical Agro-Ecosystems: Need and Potentials. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 4(5), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2016.00005

Bacon, C. (2005). Confronting the Coffee Crisis: Can Fair Trade, Organic, and Specialty Coffees Reduce Small-Scale Farmer Vulnerability in Northern Nicaragua? World Development, 33(3), 497–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2004.10.002

Beuchelt, T. D. y Zeller, M. (2011). Profits and poverty: Certification’s troubled link for Nicaragua’s organic and fairtrade coffee producers. Ecological Economics, 70(7), 1316–1324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.01.005

Blackman, A. y Rivera, J. (2011). Producer-Level Benefits of Sustainability Certification. Conservation Biology, 25(6), 1176–1185. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2011.01774.x

Calisto, M. (2016). Comercio justo, seguridad alimentaria y globalización: construyendo sistemas alimentarios alternativos. Íconos - Revista de Ciencias Sociales, (55), 215-240. https://doi.org/10.17141/iconos.55.2016.1959

DeFries, R. S., Fanzo, J., Mondal, P., Remans, R. y Wood, S. A. (2017). Is voluntary certification of tropical agricultural commodities achieving sustainability goals for small-scale producers? A review of the evidence. Environmental Research Letters, 12(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa625e

Fanzo, J., Mondal, P., DeFries, R., Wood, S. y Remans, R. (2017). Is voluntary certification of tropical agricultural commodities achieving sustainability goals for small-scale producers? A review of the evidence. Environmental Research Letters, 12(3), 1-13 https://doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa625e

Garrett, R. D., Carlson, K. M., Rueda, X. y Noojipady, P. (2016). Corrigendum: Assessing the potential additionality of certification by the Round table on Responsible Soybeans and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Environmental Research Letters, 11(7), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/7/079502

Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J. y Sturgeon, T. (2005). The governance of global value chains. Review of International Political Economy, 12(1), 78-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290500049805

Glasbergen, P. (2018). Smallholders do not Eat Certificates. Ecological Economics, 147, 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.01.023

Gold, S., Kunz, N. y Reiner, G. (2017). Sustainable Global Agrifood Supply Chains: Exploring the Barriers. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(2), 249-260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12440

Grabs, J. (2018). Assessing the institutionalization of private sustainability governance in a changing coffee sector. Regulation and Governance. Regulation and governance, 14(2), 362-387. https://doi.org/10.1111/rego.12212

Havardi-Burger, N., Mempel, H. y Bitsch, V. (2020). Sustainability Challenges and Innovations in the Value Chain of Flowering Potted Plants for the German Market. Sustainability. Sustainability, 12(5), 1905. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051905

Hidayat, N. K., Offermans, A., y Glasbergen, P. (2018). Sustainable palm oil as a public responsibility? On the governance capacity of Indonesian Standard for Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO). Agriculture and Human Values, 35(1), 223–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-017-9816-6

Hospes, O. (2014). Marking the success or end of global multi-stakeholder governance? The rise of national sustainability standards in Indonesia and Brazil for palm oil and soy. Agriculture and Human Values, 31(3), 425–437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-014-9511-9

Ibanez, M. y Blackman, A. (2016). Is Eco-Certification a Win–Win for Developing Country Agriculture? Organic Coffee Certification in Colombia. World Development, 82, 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.01.004

Ingram, V., van den Berg, J., van Oorschot, M., Arets, E. y Judge, L. (2018). Governance Options to Enhance Ecosystem Services in Cocoa, Soy, Tropical Timber and Palm Oil Value Chains. Environmental Management, 62(1), 128-142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-018-0996-7

Krumbiegel, K., Maertens, M. y Wollni, M. (2018). The Role of Fairtrade Certification for Wages and Job Satisfaction of Plantation Workers. World Development, 102, 195–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.09.020

Lambin, E. F. y Thorlakson, T. (2018). Sustainability Standards: Interactions Between Private Actors, Civil Society, and Governments. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 43(1), 369–393. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025931

Larsen, R., Osbeck, M., Dawkins, E., Tuhkanen, H., Nguyen, H., Nugroho, A., . . . Wolvekamp, P. (2018). Hybrid governance in agricultural commodity chains: Insights from implementation of ‘No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation’ (NDPE) policies in the oil palm industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 183, 544-554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.125

Latynskiy, E. y Berger, T. (2017). Assessing the Income Effects of Group Certification for Smallholder Coffee Farmers: Agent-based Simulation in Uganda. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 68(3), 727–748. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12212

Lee, J., y Gereffi, G. (2012). Global value chains and agrifood standards: Challenges and possibilities for smallholders in developing countries. PNAS, 109(31), 12326-12331. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0913714108

Loconto, A. M. (2017). Models of assurance: diversity and standardization of modes of intermediation. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 670(1), 112–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716217692517

Meemken, E.-M. y Qaim, M. (2018). Can private food standards promote gender equality in the small farm sector? Journal of Rural Studies, 58, 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.12.030

Minten, B., Dereje, M., Engida, E. y Tamru, S. (2018). Tracking the Quality Premium of Certified Coffee: Evidence from Ethiopia. World Development, 101, 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.08.010

Mitiku, F., Nyssen, J. y Maertens, M. (2018). Certification of Semi-forest Coffee as a Land-sharing Strategy in Ethiopia. Ecological Economics, 145, 194–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.09.008

Mohd Noor, F. M., Gassner, A., Terheggen, A. y Dobie, P. (2017). Beyond sustainability criteria and principles in palm oil production: addressing consumer concerns through insetting. Ecology and Society, 22(2), art5. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09172-220205

Mook, A. y Overdevest, C. (2018). Does Fairtrade Certification Meet Producers’ Expectations Related to Participating in Mainstream Markets? An Analysis of Advertised Benefits and Perceived Impact. Sustainable Development, 26(3), 269–280. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1700

Nesadurai, H. E. S. (2018). New Constellations of Social Power: States and Transnational Private Governance of Palm Oil Sustainability in Southeast Asia. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 48(2), 204–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472336.2017.1390145

Pattberg, P. (2006). Private governance and the South: Lessons from global forest politics. Third World Quarterly, 27(4), 579–593. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590600720769

Potts, J., Lynch, M., Wilkings, A., Huppé, G., Cunningham, M. y Voora, V. (2014). The State of Sustainability Initiatives Review 2014: standards and the Green Economy. https://www.iisd.org/publications/state-sustainability-initiatives-review-2014-standards-and-green-economy

Raynolds, L. T., Murray, D. y Heller, A. (2007). Regulating sustainability in the coffee sector: A comparative analysis of third-party environmental and social certification initiatives. Agriculture and Human Values, 24(2), 147–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-006-9047-8

Reina-Usuga, L., De haro Gimenez, T. y Parra-Lopez, C. (2018). Análisis mediante el Proceso Analítico en Red (ANP) de criterios de sostenibilidad de los canales cortos de comercialización frente a la gran comercialización alimentaria en Bogotá. Revista española de estudios agrosociales y pesqueros, 250, 161-189. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326942081_Analisis_mediante_el_Proceso_Analitico_en_Red_ANP_de_criterios_de_sostenibilidad_de_los_canales_cortos_de_comercializacion_frente_a_la_gran_comercializacion_alimentaria_en_Bogota_Colombia

Rich, K. M., Chengappa, P. G., Muniyappa, A., Yadava, C. G., Manjyapura, G. S., Pradeepa Babu, B. N., … Rich, M. (2018). Coffee certification in India: Awareness, practices, and sustainability perception of growers. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 42(4), 448–474. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2017.1361497

Riisgaard, L., Lund-Thomsen, P. y Coe, N. (2019). Multistakeholder initiatives in global production networks: naturalizing specific understandings of sustainability through the Better Cotton Initiative. Global Networks, 20(2), 211-236. https://doi.org/10.1111/glob.12251

Rival, A., Montet, D. y Pioch, D. (2016). Certification, labelling and traceability of palm oil: can we build confidence from trustworthy standards? Ocl, 23(6), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1051/ocl/2016042

Robledo-Giraldo, S., Osorio, Z. A., y López, E. C. (2014). Networking en pequeña empresa: una revisión bibliográfica utilizando la teoria de grafos. Revista Vinculos, 6(2), 6–16. https://doi.org/10.14483/2322939X.9664

Robledo, S., Zuluaga, J., y Duque, N. (2013). Difusión de productos a través de redes sociales: una revisión bibliográfica utilizando la teoría de grafos. Respuestas, 18(2), 28–42. https://doi.org/10.22463/0122820X.361

Ruben, R. y Zuniga, G. (2011). How standards compete: comparative impact of coffee certification schemes in Northern Nicaragua. Supply Chain Management, 16(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1108/13598541111115356

Rueda, X. y Lambin, E. F. (2013). Responding to Globalization: Impacts of Certification on Colombian Small-Scale Coffee Growers. Ecology and Society, 18(3), 21. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05595-180321

Rueda, X., Garrett, R. y Lambin, E. (2017). Corporate investments in supply chain sustainability: Selecting instruments in the agri-food industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142(4), 2480-2492. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.026

Sexsmith, K., y Potts, J. (2009). Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Value Chain Governance: How sustainability standards affect the distribution of decision‐making power in global value chains. (I. I. (IISD), Ed.) https://www.iisd.org/library/voluntary-sustainability-standards-and-value-chain-governance-how-sustainability-standards

Schouten, G., y Glasbergen, P. (2011). Creating legitimacy in global private governance: The case of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Ecological Economics, 70(11), 1891–1899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.03.012

Snider, A., Gutiérrez, I., Sibelet, N. y Faure, G. (2017). Small farmer cooperatives and voluntary coffee certifications: Rewarding progressive farmers of engendering widespread change in Costa Rica? Food Policy, 69, 231–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2017.04.009

Snider, A., Kraus, E., Sibelet, N., Bosselmann, A. S. y Faure, G. (2016). Influence of voluntary coffee certifications on cooperatives’ advisory services and agricultural practices of smallholder farmers in Costa Rica. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 22(5), 435–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2016.1227418

Souza Piao, R., Fonseca, L., Carvalho, E., Macchione Saesb, M., y de Almeida Luciana, F. (2019). The adoption of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) and value chain upgrading in the Brazilian coffee production context. Journal of Rural Studies 71, 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2019.09.007

Suchman, M. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. The Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571-610. https://doi.org/10.2307/258788

Templer, N., Hauser, M., Owamani, A., Kamusingize, D., Ogwali, H., Mulumba, L., … Probst, L. (2018). Does certified organic agriculture increase agroecosystem health? Evidence from four farming systems in Uganda. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 16(2), 150–166. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2018.1440465

Tey, Y. S., Rajendran, N., Brindal, M., Sidique, S. F. A., Shamsudin, M. N., Radam, A. y Hadi, A. H. I. A. (2016). A Review of an International Sustainability Standard (GlobalGAP) and its Local Replica (MyGAP). Outlook on Agriculture, 45(1), 67–72. https://doi.org/10.5367/oa.2016.0230

Thorlakson, T., Hainmueller, J., y Lambin, E. F. (2018). Improving environmental practices in agricultural supply chains: The role of company-led standards. Global Environmental Change, 48, 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.10.006

United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards - UNFSS. (2013). Voluntary Sustainability Standards: Today’s Landscape ofIssues & Initiatives to Achieve Public Policy Objectives. https://unfss.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/unfss-report-initiatives-2_draft_lores.pdf

United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS). (2016). Meeting sustainability goals: voluntary sustainability standards and the role of the government. https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/unfss_2nd_2016_en.pdf

UN Global Compact and Business for Social Responsibility. (2010). Supply Chain Sustainability. A practical guide for continuous improvements. https://www.bsr.org/en/our-insights/report-view/supply-chain-sustainability-a-practical-guide-for-continuous-improvement

Vanderhaegen, K., Akoyi, K. T., Dekoninck, W., Jocqué, R., Muys, B., Verbist, B. y Maertens, M. (2018). Do private coffee standards ‘walk the talk’ in improving socio-economic and environmental sustainability? Global Environmental Change, 51, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.04.014

Von Hagen, O., Manning, S. y Reinecke, J. (2010). Sustainable Sourcing in the Food Industry. Moderne Ernährung Heute, 4, 1-9. https://ssrn.com/abstract=1678472

Wijaya, A. y Glasbergen, P. (2016). Toward a New Scenario in Agricultural Sustainability Certification? The Response of the Indonesian National Government to Private Certification. The Journal of Environment & Development, 25(2), 219–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496516640857

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.