The contribution of vegetable value chains to the Guatemalan economy

摘要

In Guatemala, 92% of all farmers possess less than seven hectares of land. For these smallholders, the production of labor-intensive crops such as vegetables can be an additional income source. Indeed, most vegetables in Guatemala are predominantly grown by smallholders. Vegetables such as cabbages, onions, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes or chilies are mainly used as cash crops which are channeled by exporters, wholesalers and retailers to national and international markets. They are also highly dependent on chemical input use. Thus, they create important forward and backward linkages, generating employment and value added in input, processing and trading sectors. The present study examines the main vegetable value chains in all agricultural regions of Guatemala by using primary data from interviews with agro-industry and commerce. The methodology uses input-output tables to show key variables such as value added and employment. To quantify the forward and backward linkages of the vegetable sector and compare them to other important agricultural products of Guatemala, a bottom-up-approach is utilized, starting from agricultural production, following the value chains back and forth from the local to the national level. Results show that less than half (45%) of total value added is produced in horticulture, 17% in industry, and 37% in commerce. This means that for each dollar created in the vegetable sector, more than one dollar is generated in its forward and backward sectors. Vegetables show much higher land productivities compared to other crops, and create five times more employment per hectare compared to the average of other crops in Guatemala. Additionally, for each job in vegetable production, 1.6 jobs are generated in its mainly informal forward and backward sectors, more than in the other value chains included in the study. In short, vegetable production is highly effective in job and income creation for smallholder farmers as well as for informal traders. Nevertheless, excessive use of chemical inputs threatens the sustainability of vegetable production and requires more and better extension services.