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Quality-driven market innovations: social and equity considerations

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Renewing innovation systems in agriculture and food

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Abstract

What we identify as market-based innovations in agrifood systems, based in particular on contributions presented during the ISDA conference, are mainly organizational or institutional innovations involving different actors, which are linked through their direct or indirect interventions in value chains (i.e. producers, agribusiness processors, retailers, consumers, NGOs and public bodies). These links reflect increasingly sophisticated forms of intermediation and coordination in the chains (contract mechanisms and procurement schemes, certification, labelling and branding strategies, etc.) which, in many instances, represent major innovations in the chains with significant implications for sustainability. These innovations may be linked to a wide range of sustainability concerns, particularly environmentally related issues (such as resource degradation and exploitation) or unequal trade relations, and involve an increasing variety of stakeholders.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Certification is a procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, process or service is in conformity with certain standards (ISO Guide, 1996). The certifying organization is called the certifier or certification body. The certifier may conduct the audit/inspection itself or contract it out to an auditor/inspecting body. The system of rules, procedures and management for carrying out certification, including the standard against which a company is certified is called the certification programme. One certification body may execute different certification programmes. To ensure that certification bodies have the capacity to carry out the certification programme, they are evaluated and accredited by an authoritative institution (FAO, 2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIRAD, TA 179 / 04, Avenue Agropolis, 34398, Montpellier cedex 5, France

    Estelle Biénabe

  2. Department Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Agricultural Annex, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Cerkia Bramley

  3. Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Johann Kirsten

Authors
  1. Estelle Biénabe
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  2. Cerkia Bramley
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  3. Johann Kirsten
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Estelle Biénabe .

Editor information

E. Coudel H. Devautour C. T. Soulard G. Faure B. Hubert

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Biénabe, E., Bramley, C., Kirsten, J. (2013). Quality-driven market innovations: social and equity considerations. In: Coudel, E., Devautour, H., Soulard, C.T., Faure, G., Hubert, B. (eds) Renewing innovation systems in agriculture and food. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-768-4_7

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