Access to information and farmer's market choice: The case of potato in highland Bolivia

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dc.contributor.authorAmaya, Nadezdaen
dc.contributor.authorAlwang, Jeffrey R.en
dc.contributor.departmentAgricultural and Applied Economicsen
dc.contributor.departmentSustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Knowledgebaseen
dc.coverage.countryBoliviaen
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-19T20:29:46Zen
dc.date.available2016-04-19T20:29:46Zen
dc.date.issued2011en
dc.description.abstractPotato incomes are critical determinants of Andean farmers' household well-being. Efforts to improve incomes of producers should recognize the role of access to market information. In highland Bolivia, market information has entered the digital age. Cell phones are ubiquitous, and networks lubricated by cellular technologies are affecting traditional means of gathering information. Andean markets are characterized by the heavy involvement of women. Lower information costs could change market choices and roles of men and women. This study explores the effects of information access on market choice near Cochabamba. It diagnoses the roles of men and women and investigates decision-making and changes in it. The research confirms the importance of gender and cell phones to market access. Market decisions are made jointly by men and women, but women take a leading role in marketing. Women dominate marketing by negotiating favorable prices with buyers who are also women. Marketing networks have not changed substantially since the introduction of new information technologies. While cellular technology has broadened access to information and quickened its flow, it has not fundamentally changed network structures. The study provides recommendations about improving competitiveness of small-scale potato producers: (1) increasing access to information by expanding the information content of existing networks; (2) expanding cell phones access; (3) consideration of the important roles intermediaries play; and (4) more technical support for market and information access.en
dc.description.notesLTRA-7 (Pathways to CAPS in the Andes)en
dc.description.notesWe would like to thank the Syndicate (the main community-level social and political institution) from the following communities: Toralapa Baja, Toralapa Alta, Uchuchi Cancha, Pairumani, Kayarani, Villa San Isidro, Chaupi Rancho, Waylla Pujru, Koari Alto, Boqueron Grande, Primero de Marzo, Ch'aki Khocha, Cana Cota, Surajmayu, Damy Rancho, Cebada Jich'ana, and Sankayani Alto, Boqueron Alto. This project was part of the SANREM CRSP, supported by the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American people through Cooperative Agreement No. EPP-A-00-04-00013-00. The Foundation for Promotion and Research of Andean Products (PROINPA Foundation) provided logistical and additional research support.en
dc.description.sponsorshipUnited States Agency for International Development; Foundation for Promotion and Research of Andean Products (PROINPA Foundation); [EPP-A-00-04-00013-00]en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier4996en
dc.identifier.citationAmaya, N., & Alwang, J. (2011). Access to information and farmer’s market choice: The case of potato in highland Bolivia. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 1(4), 35–53. https://ddoi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2011.014.003en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2011.014.003en
dc.identifier.eissn2152-0801en
dc.identifier.issn2152-0798en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/70032en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subjectMarketsen
dc.subjectGenderen
dc.subjectLocal marketsen
dc.subjectPotato marketsen
dc.subjectCell phonesen
dc.subjectGenderen
dc.subjectMarket accessen
dc.subjectBoliviaen
dc.subjectSANREMen
dc.subjectGovernanceen
dc.titleAccess to information and farmer's market choice: The case of potato in highland Boliviaen
dc.title.serialJournal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Developmenten
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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