The Routledge Handbook of Contract Farming and Development assesses the main conceptual, methodological, and theoretical debates surrounding contract farming, and its implications for rural development in the Global South. Contract farming has rapidly expanded in the Global South in the wake of structural adjustment, providing an intermediate form of agricultural organization between open procurement and fully integrated plantation agriculture. However, it is also a focus of contestation, with some viewing it as a ‘win-win’ solution to the struggles of smallholders in the global south, and others viewing it through the lens of peasant exploitation. This book combines conceptual and methodological contributions with rich empirical case studies, encouraging a holistic understanding of contract farming by transcending disciplinary silos. Overall, the book equips readers with a rich understanding of key themes, policies, business models, actors, and social dynamics surrounding contract farming. It considers local and regional variations and contexts, and the broader implications of contract farming for agrarian change globally. The book’s comprehensive coverage of contract farming will be of interest to researchers across the fields of agricultural economics, development studies, rural sociology, and agrarian political economy. Its insights will also be instructive for policy makers and development practitioners looking for a comprehensive overview.
