Social Capital and Farmer Organizations in Agriculture: Insights from a Literature Review

Abstract

Social capital has increasingly been recognized as a critical factor influencing the performance and sustainability of farmer organizations in the agricultural sector. This study aims to provide a comprehensive literature review on the role of social capital in shaping organizational outcomes, with particular attention to its dimensions, mechanisms, and implications for agricultural development. Using a structured literature review approach based on the Scopus database, a total of 16 peer-reviewed articles were identified through a Boolean search strategy: ("social capital") AND (agriculture OR farming OR agribusiness) AND ("farmer organization"). The selected studies were analyzed using a thematic synthesis method to identify recurring patterns and key insights. The findings reveal that social capital—encompassing trust, networks, and shared norms—plays a significant role in enhancing knowledge dissemination, strengthening collective action, improving market access, and fostering climate adaptation among farmers. The review further identifies key mechanisms through which social capital operates, including facilitating information exchange, reducing transaction costs, and promoting collaboration within and across farmer organizations. Despite these contributions, the literature remains fragmented, with limited integration of different dimensions of social capital and a predominance of context-specific and cross-sectional studies. This study highlights important research gaps, including the need for longitudinal and comparative studies, deeper exploration of the interactions between social capital and other forms of capital, and greater attention to emerging factors such as digitalization and institutional innovation. Overall, the review contributes to advancing theoretical understanding and provides practical implications for policymakers and practitioners aiming to strengthen farmer organizations and promote sustainable agricultural development.