This book addresses the controversies surrounding smallholders' opportunities for economic and social upgrading by joining global agricultural value chains (AVC). While international organizations encourage small farmers to become part of AVC, critics point out its risks. Unlike previous single case studies, researchers from three continents compared the influence of the characteristics of the crop (coffee, mango, rice), the end markets, and the national political economic contexts on the social and economic conditions for smallholders and agricultural workers. Their findings highlight the importance of collective action by smallholders and of a supportive state for economic and social upgrading. With contributions by Burhan Ahmad, Angela Dziedzim Akorsu, Valdênia Apolinário, Walter Belik, Do Quynh Chi; Francis Neu-Kwesi, Daniel James Hawkins, Jakir Hossain, Ismail Doga Karatepe, Khiddir Iddris, Clesio Marcelino de Jesus, Manish Kumar, Michele Lindner, Mubashir Mehdi, Rosa Maria Vieira Medeiros, Antonio Cesar Ortega, Thales Augusto Medeiros Penha, Bruno Perosa, Christoph Scherrer, Sérgio Schneider and Santosh Verma.