Rethinking the divide: Exploring the interdependence between global and nested local markets

The debate on smallholder commodification trajectories tends to be polarised between mainstream approaches that advocate tighter integration of smallholders into global value chains, and alternative favour localised markets the grounds these provide greater autonomy over production marketing, allow a share realised for producers wider community. This obscures interrelations possible synergies them; critique taken up in this paper. Using case study agricultural diversification former homeland Venda, South Africa, we explore usefulness nested concept make sense smallholders' patterning by combining tree crops export with seasonal vegetables local markets. Exploring drivers diversification, show how farmers’ depends their profiles corresponding trajectory accumulation. Local are articulated systems function as hybrid spaces interaction enable farmers without any off-farm income gain sustain access commodity challenges framing an act resistance well dichotomy versus mutually exclusive. Instead, argue can interconnected supportive opportunistically used such petty export-oriented system. If relations better understood, they stand agrarian policy, which currently favours high-value crops, more inclusive young less well-resourced farmers. • Dichotomizing is problematic. enable, complement Farmers combine depending accumulation trajectory. important income. Operating not necessarily resistance.