Post-farmgate food value chains make up most of consumer food expenditures globally
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review
Progress towards many United Nations Sustainable Development Goals depends on interventions in food value chains, yet data and methods have thus far limited the production of cross-nationally comparable estimates of food value chains' magnitudes. Here we develop a standardized method and data series to estimate the distribution of consumer food expenditures between value-added activities on farms and in the post-farmgate value chain. Using data from 61 countries over 2005-2015, representing 90% of the global economy, we show that farmers receive, on average, 27% of consumer expenditure on foods consumed at home and a far lower percentage of food consumed away from home. That figure consistently falls in the 16-38% range for middle- and high-income countries and falls significantly as incomes rise. The large and growing post-farmgate food value chain merits greater attention as the world grapples with the economic, environmental and social impacts of food systems.
The distribution of consumer food expenditures across value-added activities on farms and in the post-farmgate value chain, although important, has been overlooked. Building on a global food dollar series, this study shows how the farm and post-farmgate shares of consumer food expenditures evolve in response to changing economic, demographic and agricultural conditions in different regions.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Nature Food |
Volume | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 417-425 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISSN | 2662-1355 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
- GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS, UNITED-STATES
Research areas
ID: 272641098