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Governing the Organic Cocoa Network from G hana: Towards Hybrid Governance Arrangements?
Author(s) -
Glin Laurent C.,
Oosterveer Peter,
Mol Arthur P.J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of agrarian change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.63
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1471-0366
pISSN - 1471-0358
DOI - 10.1111/joac.12059
Subject(s) - state (computer science) , position (finance) , corporate governance , globalization , civil society , liberalization , commodity , business , economic system , economy , political science , economics , market economy , politics , computer science , law , finance , algorithm
In this paper, we examine the processes of initiation, construction and transformation of the organic cocoa network from G hana. We address in particular how the state responded to and engaged with civil‐society actors in the organic cocoa network and to what extent state involvement reshaped state–business–civil society relations? While most of the literature argues that globalization and liberalization processes weakened the state's position as key player in the development and management of agro‐food networks, the case of the (organic) cocoa sector in G hana is often depicted as an exception because of the strong position the state still occupies in it. Employing a global commodity network perspective to analyse the Ghanaian organic cocoa case, this paper demonstrates that although the state is still a major player in the contemporary (organic) cocoa network, some hybrid governance arrangements, involving state, transnational and national NGO networks, and businesses, are emerging. The organic cocoa network also prompted a double process of ‘dis‐ and re‐embedding’ at the local level that helped shape and strengthen the organic cocoa network.