SAKATA Shozo
| SAKATA Shozo |
| [Belonging・Position] | Inter-disciplinary Studies Center ・Senior Research Fellow |
| [Research Field] | Area studies (Vietnam) |
| [email] |
Shozo_Sakata 
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| researchmap | Profile Information (Research history, education, papers & publications) |
| Japanese page |
Previous research
My research has consistently focused on the economic and social transformation of rural Vietnam. Specifically, from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, I studied poverty among ethnic minority groups in the northern mountainous regions and the impacts of poverty reduction programs. Then, until the latter half of the 2010s, I focused on the impact of the informal non-agricultural sector in rural areas on the labor market and the local economy. In particular, I have conducted field surveys in “craft villages” in the north, where micro-manufacturing industries are agglomerated. I have conducted joint research with researchers at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, and Can Tho University.
Current research projects
Currently, I am conducting research mainly on the theme of changes in Vietnam’s food value chain and the effects of these changes on farm households and rural communities. In Vietnam, exports of agricultural products other than rice started to rise in the early 2000s, and the number of modern retailers such as supermarkets has rapidly increased in the 2010s. Also, in recent years, sales of agricultural products through social networking services such as Facebook have become popular. Under these circumstances, the demands on farmers, such as ensuring the quality and safety of agricultural products and accurate delivery, have been changing. My research focuses on how small-scale, poor farm households, which account for a majority of agricultural production, respond to such changes.