Inclusive business for rural development: New typology and differentiated value creation in the agri‐food sector

Abstract

Inclusive businesses (IBs) resonate with policymakers seeking to leverage private capital in support of poverty alleviation and sustainable development. In the agri‐food sector, which represents the largest segment of the base‐of‐the‐pyramid (BOP) market and a key source of livelihood for the rural poor, there is limited evidence on their diversity and social value creation mechanisms. This prevents practitioners from identifying impactful IB types and design features. A statistical analysis of 46 cases in Tanzania and Ghana identified four IB types: (1) self‐reliant agribusinesses, (2) domestic plantation companies, (3) social enterprises, and (4) locally‐embedded Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Our findings suggest that socially‐driven and localized IBs hold high impact potential but require significant external support, while more self‐sufficient IBs adopt less socially innovative designs. This study demonstrates the utility of a data‐driven approach to capture the complexity of real‐world IBs, which yielded practical insights for more effective poverty alleviation through business means.

Aquaculture: A hidden goldmine for the rural poor—A cost–benefit analysis of fish farming for sustainable development and food security in Vihiga County, Kenya

“…Adequate financial support from both National and County governments is crucial for sustainable aquaculture in alignment with Kenya's Vision In recent years, there has been a renewed emphasis on harnessing rural aquaculture as a means to address poverty and mitigate global inequality. Singhal (2023) and Weng et al (2024) highlight that this practice not only contributes to poverty alleviation but also generates employment for millions, both directly within the sector and through associated support services, thereby promoting sustainable development goals. Rural aquaculture involves the cultivation of aquatic organisms by small-scale farming households or communities, typically employing extensive or semi-intensive, low-cost production technologies suitable for their resource base (Boyd et al, 2020;Subasinghe et al, 2009).…”