Private food standards, trade and institutions in Vietnam

International horticulture markets are increasingly governed by transnational private regulations that create a new set of challenges not only for the market but also for local governance and policy regimes. Accordingly, resources from a range of international governance institutions and donors promoting development through neoliberal market rules have been directed towards ensuring that market entry barriers are not prohibitive. This paper presents the results of a recent study undertaken in Vietnam that assessed outcomes within a single value chain governed by GLOBALG.A.P, where technical and financial assistance were provided to smallholders. The constructivist approach highlights that, in addition to typical market entry barriers, additional obstacles existed that prevented smallholders from market participation. These were socially, culturally and historically situated and rooted in informal institutions. Failing to incorporate these into assistance planning may lead to the unequal distribution of development benefits associated with these changing market governance arrangements.