Fairtrade in Peru: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable and Equitable Agricultural Development

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The research background effectively sets the stage by highlighting the historical growth of Fair Trade initiatives since the 1940s and their aim to improve the conditions of small-scale producers. It emphasizes the importance of Fair Trade in Peru, particularly in the coffee sector, and notes the country's leadership in obtaining Fair Trade certifications. At present, this version of manuscript still has the following shortcomings:

1 Research background: the background provides a solid foundation, but recommendations can provide a more detailed exploration of the specific challenges faced by Peruvian small-scale farmers, this will make the starting point of the whole study more substantial. In the meantime, if we can incorporate recent data on the impact of Fair Trade on local communities, this will also strengthen the argument for the study's significance.

2 Theoretical framework: This study offers a comprehensive overview of Fair Trade's impact on agricultural sustainability, market incentives, and social justice. However, it would be enhanced by including more diverse regional perspectives, especially from other Latin American countries, to provide a broader comparative context. Meanwhile, this part could delve deeper into the criticisms and limitations of Fair Trade, such as the high cost of certification and its accessibility to the most vulnerable producers.  As for the research hypothesis part, the present research hypothesis proposal and reasoning logic are a little blunt. It is suggested that this part can be supplemented and improved, hoping to build on the review and review of existing research.

3 Research methodology: The conceptual framework in Figure 1 is proposed as a separate section, that is, the conceptual framework. At the same time, what is the basis for the construction of this theoretical framework? What is the basis for the questionnaires presented in Table 1? In this part, the author spends a lot of space on the process of data collection and processing, then what are the subsequent analysis methods? What is the basis for the selection? It is suggested that a certain degree of introduction can be carried out in this part.

4 Results and Discussion section, the presentation of research results using SPSS for reliability analysis and factor loadings is methodologically sound.  But how do the findings stack up against the assumptions raised above? Meanwhile, It would also benefit from a more critical examination of the results, considering potential biases and the limitations of the study's methodology.

Author Response

Dear Doctor,

We would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your insightful contributions to our study. The invaluable recommendations you have provided have furnished us with unambiguous guidance for the enhancement of our document. We are grateful for the thoroughness of your suggestions, which prompted us to undertake more in-depth revisions. The revisions have not only enhanced the study but also provided researchers with new insights into the subject matter.

We are pleased to submit the revised final document, incorporating the new proposals that address each of your comments. As we were unable to identify a more appropriate category in the materials upload section, we have uploaded the list of changes under the "Supplementary Material" category.

We hope that the changes made to our research will make it a suitable candidate for publication in your renowned journal.

Sincerely,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript provides a valuable contribution to understanding the impact of Fair Trade on Peruvian agri-food production, focusing on key dimensions such as market incentives, sustainable agriculture, and social justice. However, there are areas for improvement that could enhance the clarity, rigor, and overall impact of the study.

First, while the introduction and theoretical framework are well-structured and provide relevant background, the methodology section could be expanded with more detailed explanations of the statistical analyses, such as the regression and factor analysis. This would improve transparency and enable readers to better understand the validity of the results. Additionally, the discussion could be strengthened by integrating a deeper exploration of the external factors influencing the findings, particularly in the dimension of market incentives, where the results were not statistically significant.

The results section presents data effectively, but the inclusion of more visual elements such as graphs or more detailed tables would improve clarity and accessibility. For instance, highlighting the most significant findings in the Likert scale analysis or regression results with visual summaries could make the data more engaging. Furthermore, while the article addresses the limitations of the study, including these considerations earlier in the discussion might provide better context for interpreting the findings.

The engagement with the literature is commendable, but the manuscript could benefit from a more critical assessment of Fair Trade's broader implications, particularly by linking the findings to global debates on sustainability and equity in agricultural systems. Finally, the quality of the English is adequate and does not hinder understanding, though minor revisions could improve fluency and readability.

Overall, the article provides meaningful insights and could make a stronger contribution with more detailed methodology, enhanced presentation of results, and a deeper integration of its findings within the broader literature.

Author Response

Dear Doctor,

We would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your insightful contributions to our study. The invaluable recommendations you have provided have furnished us with unambiguous guidance for the enhancement of our document. We are grateful for the thoroughness of your suggestions, which prompted us to undertake more in-depth revisions. The revisions have not only enhanced the study but also provided researchers with new insights into the subject matter.

We are pleased to submit the revised final document, incorporating the new proposals that address each of your comments. As we were unable to identify a more appropriate category in the materials upload section, we have uploaded the list of changes under the "Supplementary Material" category.

We hope that the changes made to our research will make it a suitable candidate for publication in your renowned journal.

Sincerely,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This research, based on convenience surveys conducted with cooperative leaders 19 and members during Expo alimentaria 2024, analyses the benefits and challenges faced by small scale producers. The results were processed using SPSS, Cronbach's alpha, Factor Analysis, and Ordinary Logistic Regression. The findings offer a comprehensive perspective on how Fair Trade strengthens sustainable practices and economic growth in rural communities. However, at present, the following problems still exist in the abstract, literature review, interpretation of results and other aspects of the paper, which are suggested to be revised:

Comment 1: In the abstract part, the description of the research results is too general, lacking the summary of the research conclusions, and the keywords are not accurate enough.

Comment 2: In the Introduction part, there is a lack of critical analysis and comparison of existing literature, so we can deeply analyze the social and economic environment and the characteristics of agricultural food production in Peru. Some literature may be useful:

Does multi-goal policy affect agricultural land efficiency? A quasi-natural experiment based on the natural resource conservation and intensification pilot scheme. Applied Geography, 2023, 161, 103141.

Reduced benefits of climate-smart agricultural policies from land-use spillovers. Nat Sustain 2023, 6, 941–948.

How does digitalization affect carbon emissions in animal husbandry? A new evidence from China. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2025, 214, 108040.

Comment 3: In the Theoretical framework, it is necessary to clearly explain the relationship between the concepts of Fair Trade, market incentives, social justice, and sustainable agriculture, and how they jointly affect the implementation effect of Fair Trade.

Comment 4: In the Methodology section, it is necessary to explain the reasons for choosing convenient sampling and its possible impact on the research results, and whether the sample size is sufficient and whether the sample can represent the Fair-Trade certification company in Peruvian agri-food industry. It may not reflect the actual situation of the entire Peruvian agri-food industry.

Comment 5: In the Results section, the results of Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis and ordered logistic regression need to be deeply analyzed and explained to explain the significance of the results and the relationship between the results and the research hypothesis. It is necessary to link the results with the theoretical framework, explain how the results support or refute the theoretical assumptions, and explain the contribution of the research results. At the same time, the limitations of the research are discussed and the influence of these limitations on the research results is explained.

Comment 6: In the Discussion part, the analysis of Fair Trade mainly focuses on its positive impact, lacking critical analysis of its potential limitations and challenges. The discussion of the results is too brief, lacking in-depth analysis and explanation of the results.

Comment 7: In the Future research section, the future research directions and suggestions are too general, lacking specific implementation plans and research methods. Specific research schemes and methods can be put forward for each future research direction, such as which data sources can be used, which research methods can be used, and how to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the research.

Comment 8: This paper mainly discusses the influence of Fair Trade on market incentives, sustainable agriculture, and social justice, which is consistent with many existing Fair Trade research documents. The theoretical framework and methodology are also like the existing research. The conclusion is also like the existing research results. For example, Fair Trade has a positive impact on sustainable agriculture and social justice, but its impact on market incentives is not significant.

Comment 9: Using convenient sampling, the sample representation is limited, which may not reflect the actual situation of the entire Peruvian agri-food industry. Only pay attention to Peruvian agri-food industry, lack of comparative analysis of other regions or industries. The research span is short and it is impossible to evaluate the long-term impact of Fair Trade.

Comment 10: This article can try to collect more comprehensive data, use more advanced analysis methods, discuss the emerging issues of Fair Trade, and expand the research scope to other regions or industries to compare the impact differences of Fair Trade.

Author Response

Dear Doctor,

We would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your insightful contributions to our study. The invaluable recommendations you have provided have furnished us with unambiguous guidance for the enhancement of our document. We are grateful for the thoroughness of your suggestions, which prompted us to undertake more in-depth revisions. The revisions have not only enhanced the study but also provided researchers with new insights into the subject matter.

We are pleased to submit the revised final document, incorporating the new proposals that address each of your comments. As we were unable to identify a more appropriate category in the materials upload section, we have uploaded the list of changes under the "Supplementary Material" category.

We hope that the changes made to our research will make it a suitable candidate for publication in your renowned journal.

Sincerely,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study focuses on the impact of fair trade on sustainable and equitable agricultural development in Peru, which is an interesting topic. Through a literature review, the authors identify a research gap on specific challenges and opportunities faced by small-scale farmers in Peru in the context of fair trade, with a focus on market incentives, sustainable agriculture, and social justice. In this revision, the authors have expanded the context of the study, particularly with a detailed exploration of the challenges faced by Peruvian farmers and the impact of fair trade on local communities, which enhances the relevance of the study and contributes to the existing literature.

For the methodological part of the research, this study adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey of leading members of cooperatives and agricultural export companies conducted during Expoalimentaria Peru 2024. In this revision, the conceptual framework based on the literature related to fair trade, agricultural sustainability, and social justice is elaborated, making the methodological section clearer. However, reliance on convenience sampling is likely to limit the general significance of this study, and it is suggested that the author should strengthen consideration of this aspect in the discussion of the results.

As for the data source part, the author acknowledges that the specific background of the expo may introduce bias and bring certain limitations, which, of course, can hardly be solved in this study, and suggests that the author should take this aspect into consideration in the future works part.

In the Results & Discussion section, this study highlights that the benefits of fair trade do not always reach the most vulnerable participants and that there are inconsistencies in improving workers' quality of life. The discussion of the results is also enhanced by comparisons with existing research, although it would be nice to have a more critical review of the results and discussion.

In addition, this study acknowledges the importance of structural and organizational factors, but does not explore these aspects in depth. Future research could focus more on how these factors regulate the relationship between fair trade and agri-food production.

Author Response

January 2, 2024

Dear Doctor,

We extend our sincerest gratitude for your valuable contributions to our study. Your recommendations have been instrumental in guiding significant improvements to our manuscript. We particularly appreciate the depth and clarity of your observations, which prompted us to undertake more detailed and thoughtful revisions. These revisions have not only strengthened the quality of the study but also offer new insights for other researchers interested in this topic.

The final revised document incorporates all necessary changes to address each of your comments. For clarity, we have prepared a detailed table summarising how all your observations and suggestions have been addressed. We trust that this revision adequately reflects the improvements made.

We hope that the changes made to our research will make it a suitable candidate for publication in your renowned journal.

Sincerely,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

Congratulations on the changes and the work done. It is a pleasure to recommend that your article be accepted for publication.

Have a good year in 2025.

Author Response

January 2, 2024

Dear Doctor,

Thank you very much for your kind words and for recommending our article for publication. We truly appreciate the valuable observations and constructive feedback you provided during the review process, as they greatly contributed to enhancing the quality and depth of our work.

It has been a pleasure to collaborate with you throughout this process, and we are delighted to have met the expectations for publication. We look forward to seeing the final version of our article and hope it adds value to the academic community.

Warm regards,

Julio Ricardo Moscoso Cuaresma

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

accept

Author Response

January 2, 2024

Dear Doctor,

Thank you very much for your kind words and for recommending our article for publication. We truly appreciate your valuable observations and detailed feedback, which have been instrumental in guiding the improvements to our work.

In response to your comments, we focused on enhancing the clarity and structure of the article, particularly:

• Contextualizing the content more effectively with respect to theoretical and empirical research.
• Clearly stating the research design, questions, and methods to improve understanding.
• Refining the arguments and discussion of findings to make them more coherent, balanced, and compelling.
• Ensuring the article is adequately referenced to support its academic rigor.

These adjustments were made to address the areas that you indicated could be improved, ensuring the article meets the highest standards for publication.

It has been a pleasure to collaborate with you throughout this process, and we are delighted to have reached this stage. We look forward to the final version and hope our work contributes meaningfully to the academic community.

Warm regards,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf