There has been growing interest in the development of technology‐based systems to empower farmers in Africa. This paper determines the effect of mobile phone‐based market information services (MIS) on farmers' decisions to participate in maize markets in Lilongwe, Malawi. The study reveals insufficient evidence to suggest that the MIS influence farmers' market participation decisions. Knowledge of prevailing prices may not necessarily guarantee farmers market participation, especially when buyers determine market prices and transaction costs are high. Consequently, farmers with no access to alternative markets fail to improve their marketing outcomes. The findings suggest that channelling government's resources towards improving extension services and increasing farmers' productivity are ideal ways to promote the participation of smallholder farmers in agricultural markets. The findings also underscore the need to integrate radio and mobile phones in agricultural MIS and to provide farmers with information related to agricultural production in addition to market prices. These recommendations could be realized through better coordination of market access initiatives involving smallholder farmers, government departments, NGOs, mobile network operators, and media houses.

This paper addresses the need to contextualize sustainability standards and supply chain management in dairy value chains in East Africa, where milk perishability and limited cold storage significantly impact the industry. The study highlights the importance of localizing these standards, given the greater dependence on local supply chains following the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on milk standards literature and various interventions aimed at promoting systemic change, this review analyses the capacity of marginalized stakeholders in East Africa’s dairy value chains to meet sustainability standards, focusing particularly on the social dimensions of these standards. The findings indicate that compliance with sustainability and safety standards is predominantly restricted to formal dairy networks, which process less than 20 percent of milk produced in the region. Most milk sales occur through informal or unorganized markets, which face significant barriers to meeting international sustainability benchmarks. The review advocates for the alignment of international sustainability standards with the unique conditions of the informal markets dominating East Africa’s dairy sector. It suggests enhancing stakeholder capabilities and addressing regulatory barriers as necessary steps for improving compliance with these standards. The co-operative model is highlighted as a promising approach to integrating farmers and marginalized value chain actors into the formal sector, thereby facilitating incremental adoption of sustainability standards. The paper identifies strategic entry points for organizing and upgrading the supply chain, including capacity building, certification, and catalyzing farmer groups to compliance and productivity.

Background: Business investments in rural areas of developing countries have been constrained by limited infrastructure and financial, institutional and policy support. Proximate social networks have emerged as decision-making support structures; however, empirical evidence is limited to formal companies in urban areas. Aim: This study examines how strong and weak social networks influence business investment decisions in emerging urban centres (EUCs) in rural areas. Setting: This study was undertaken in Ilula and Madizini, which are small towns in rural areas of the Iringa and Morogoro regions in Tanzania. Methods: Quantitative methods employing Gephi Geolayout and a bivariate probit model, supported by qualitative data, were used to examine spatiality and the influence of social networks on business investment decisions based on a random sample of 755 businesses. Results: The study found that both strong and weak social network ties influenced investment decisions in general wholesale-retail trading, food crop trading and transportation businesses. Institutions, however, deterred these investment decisions. Additionally, the reliance on strong and weak social ties in decision-making decreased as business owners’ experience, education and capital size increased. Conclusion: Transportation routes and exchange hotspots are instrumental in shaping the spatial nature of EUC business social networks. Social networks of strong and weak ties influence the choices of business investment. However, the importance of social network relations varies depending on human capital endowment and business-specific characteristics. Contribution: This study endorses strengthening social networking and institutional environment as a base to support rural business investment and networks, especially around agricultural value chains.

1. Maize commercialisation remains a central yet unresolved challenge in Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda. Although maize is the dominant staple crop and a key source of income for milli...