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Working Papers

Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature

By on June 01, 2013

This paper analyzes existing value chain literature in the existing horticulture and commodities sectors with a particular focus on what it reveals about the conditions of informal workers, who make up the majority of the workforce.

The evidence suggests that informal workers in these value chains experience poor working conditions and overall, women tend to experience worse conditions than their male counterparts. The author includes policy recommendations for particular worker categories. These include improving conditions and legal protection for informal workers, improving the implementation of international labour standards, and removing barriers to entry to global value chains for poorer smallholders (including women), and increasing market and employment opportunities. Research recommendations address gaps in the literature and highlight the need to re-double efforts to incorporate a labour perspective into value chain approaches as standard practice.

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Citation Information

Chan, Man-Kwun. Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature. WIEGO Working Paper No. 28, , . WIEGO, 2013. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdfChan, M. (2013). Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature. WIEGO Working Paper No. 28, , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdfChan, Man-Kwun. "Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature." WIEGO Working Paper No. 28, WIEGO, 2013, .Chan Man-Kwun. "Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature." WIEGO Working Paper No. 28 (2013). https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdfChan, M 2013, 'Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature', WIEGO Working Paper No. 28, , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdfMan-Kwun Chan, 'Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature' (2013) WIEGO Working Paper No. 28 Chan M. Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature. WIEGO Working Paper No. 28. 2013. https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdfChan, Man-Kwun. Informal Workers in Global Horticulture and Commodities Value Chains: A Review of Literature. WIEGO Working Paper No. 28. 2013. , . https://www.wiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Chan-Informal-Workers-Farming-Commodities-Value-Chain-WIEGO-WP28.pdf

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WIEGO is at the forefront of developing statistics and research to help audiences understand the informal economy. Our library includes over two decades-worth of informal economy research, policy analysis, statistics and documentation of organizing efforts.