Inclusive agri-business models, gender, and Kenyans' experiences in successful entrepreneurship

Abstract

Northern donors increasingly frame inclusive agri-businesses (IABs) as key drivers of transformative change in agricultural sectors in Africa. Building on the concept of inclusive growth, economic and development objectives are assumed to be complementary by Northern donors as IABs are supposed to profit from including previously excluded low-income and marginalized populations into their value chains. In development program implementation, these assumptions translate to specific selection criteria and support mechanisms for African agri-business entrepreneurs, and particular interpretations on what is considered success. By zooming in on the case of agri-business women and men in Kenya, this article demonstrates the discrepancies between Northern donor-funded programs’ definitions, support mechanisms and measurements of successful IABs on the one hand, and on the other, the realities and experiences of Kenyan agri-business entrepreneurs themselves. It shows that Kenyan agri-business entrepreneurs’ lived experiences, and how those experiences are shaped by gender, are only very partially acknowledged by Northern donors in their IAB approaches. In doing so, this article provides input for the design of alternative, more diverse approaches in development programs that aim to support agri-businesses in Africa.