The organic pepper (Piper nigrum L.) value chain in São Tomé e Príncipe under a value chain analysis for development methodology perspective

Abstract

Pepper exports have recently increased in São Tomé e Príncipe, although their amount being far from matching those of cocoa and coffee. In the last decade, a policy of agricultural value chain promotion was implemented with the support of international cooperation (e.g., International Fund for Agricultural Development), aiming at the improvement of local agricultural development as well as the socio-economic conditions in rural areas. As a result of this movement, a dichotomy was introduced in these chains, certificated and non-certificated farmers; formal and informal trade; and domestic or international trade circuits. Aiming to provide more and updated data to decision-makers and conduct a broader analysis that includes not only production issues but also socioeconomic analysis, this review was carried out based on the methodology of value chain analysis for development, to describe the pepper sector in São Tomé e Príncipe. This analysis concluded that the pepper sector is divided into two sub-chains; non-certified pepper value chains and certified pepper value chains, the latter being by far the most important, due to the number of producers and the amount produced. Production systems are very similar, as well as the market linkage, although the non-certified value chain being informal. All sub-chains need capital and technology accessible to all farmers.