ABSTRACT
The food system in South Asia has been undergoing a paradigm shift, and one of the most visible market phenomena in India is the emergence of an integrated food supply chain. Some 70% of South Asia’s population is rural and engaged in agriculture and crop failure assistance and rural livelihood support programs are significant national expenses. Contract farming can help improve the links between the smallholders and international markets by organizing the production of high-value food crops. The role and impact of contract farming in developing countries have been fertile ground for controversy and debate. The literature lacks a common source of information assessing contract farming’s impacts on food security indicators, employment, resource use, productivity and the welfare of smallholder farm families as it relates to developing and emerging economies. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
