The strategic focus of food retailers on stringent product requirements and the logistical management of fresh produce from farm to shelf have often been seen as raising barriers for smallholders, thus leading to the exclusion of resource-constrained farmers. Our study contributes to research on the inclusion of smallholders in modern agri-food value chains and on the integration of their perspectives in studies of dynamics in value chains through a combined qualitative and quantitative exploration of vegetable-producing smallholders in northern Thailand. We find that smallholders are not excluded from Thailand’s modern agri-food value chains, regardless of their household assets, but are instead integrated through traditional structures. To some extent, they do have room for manoeuvre in selecting different marketing channels and some bargaining power. Traditional markets can be very important for linking smallholders to modern agri-food value chains, but limited knowledge exchange, structural challenges in gaining access to certification and product differentiation all reduce the possibilities for upgrading. We emphasise the importance of viewing smallholders as active navigators within value chains and of understanding their motivations in making use of different sales channels in order to understand the complexities of their realities while not overlooking the power structures within value chains.

食品零售商将战略重点放在严格的产品要求和新鲜农产品从农场到货架的物流管理上，这通常被视为对小农增加了障碍，从而导致资源有限的农民被排斥在外。我们的研究有助于研究小农融入现代农业食品价值链，并通过对泰国北部蔬菜生产小农的定性和定量综合探索，将他们的观点整合到价值链动态研究中。我们发现，小农户并没有被排除在泰国的现代农业食品价值链之外，无论其家庭资产如何，而是通过传统结构整合在一起。在某种程度上，他们在选择不同的营销渠道和一些议价能力方面确实有回旋余地。传统市场对于将小农与现代农业食品价值链联系起来非常重要，但有限的知识交流、获得认证和产品差异化方面的结构性挑战都会降低升级的可能性。我们强调将小农户视为价值链中积极的领航者并了解他们利用不同销售渠道的动机的重要性，以便了解他们现实的复杂性，同时不忽视价值链中的权力结构。获得认证和产品差异化方面的结构性挑战都降低了升级的可能性。我们强调将小农户视为价值链中积极的领航者并了解他们利用不同销售渠道的动机的重要性，以便了解他们现实的复杂性，同时不忽视价值链中的权力结构。获得认证和产品差异化方面的结构性挑战都降低了升级的可能性。我们强调将小农户视为价值链中积极的领航者并了解他们利用不同销售渠道的动机的重要性，以便了解他们现实的复杂性，同时不忽视价值链中的权力结构。