Promoting Inclusive Business in Agriculture

Inclusive Business in agriculture

To meet the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the private sector will need to play a greater role in supporting development objectives.

Inclusive businesses offer the opportunity to address development challenges and leave no one behind. In agriculture, these types of models can shape the core business processes in the agri-food sector to address the needs of low-income smallholder farmers and create value for these groups by underpinning global food and nutrition security, providing livelihoods for many of the poorest, and creating prosperity in rural areas. For agri-businesses to be inclusive and remain commercially viable, an innovative mindset and partnerships at the local and regional level, and along the value chain, are critical.

Governments can encourage more inclusive businesses to emerge and thrive through policies that generate greater awareness on these business models, recognise and reward them with targeted incentives, and facilitate services and investments that enable firms to develop inclusive business models.  

Regional Inclusive Business Models in Agriculture and Food Systems

 ESCAP has partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote Regional Inclusive Business Models in Agriculture and Food Systems.  The programme will encourage and accelerate the adoption of new and innovative business models that support inclusive agricultural transformation by improving access to technologies, services, and platforms in India and South-East Asia.

How will this be achieved?

 Through 5 impact pathways:

  1. Building the capacity of firms to develop inclusive business models
  2. Supporting governments promote an enabling environment for inclusive businesses
  3. Facilitating dialogues and partnerships among private enterprises, investors and governments around the development of IB models
  4. Generating evidence on the impact of inclusive business
  5. Sharing of knowledge transfer through regional forums and a community of practice

What are the expected results?

  • Greater awareness and capacity amongst firms and governments to promote and develop inclusive business models that reach small scale farmers.
  • Firms will create new investment opportunities that can be scaled and will leave no one behind. 
  • Small scale farmers will have improved access to affordable inputs and services, technologies markets and finance, improving their livelihood security and reducing their vulnerability to shocks.
  • Greater knowledge and evidence about the impact of inclusive business will help build a business case that governments and business can use to mobilize resources and enhance support.