Inclusion of Smallholders in Staple Food Contract Farming: A Case of Firm-Cooperative-Farmer Coordination in Thai Binh Province, Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates how smallholder farmers attract contracts from agribusiness firms. We focus on firm-cooperative-farmer (FCF) contract farming and examine its potential contribution to the income of smallholder rice farmers in Vietnam. We found that participation in FCF is associated with higher paddy yield, revenue, and income from rice cultivation, which is consistent with previous research on staple food crops. Furthermore, this model can be implemented in areas with severely fragmented land, such as Vietnam’s Red River Delta region.