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12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs

  • Mmapatla Precious Senyolo , Thomas B. Long , Vincent Blok and Onno Omta
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De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research
This chapter is in the book De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research

Abstract

Climate-smart agriculture technological innovations (CSATIs) provide needed benefits within base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) contexts, where smallholder farmers are vulnerable to climate change. Yet, the diffusion of CSATIs is slowed by a range of barriers. Sustainable entrepreneurs can be catalysts for the enhanced diffusion of CSATIs. The business models they use drive their ability to diffuse CSATIs. While there is a good understanding of the role of business models in the diffusion of agri-technology in Western and developed economies, their role in BoP settings is less understood. This chapter takes an in-depth qualitative approach to explore factors that shape the ability of business models used by sustainable entrepreneurs to diffuse CSATIs within BoP contexts. The results indicate that adjustments to current business models could enhance the diffusion of CSATIs. While most sustainable entrepreneurs who participated in this study agree on the shortcomings of their current business models, they differed in how they addressed these shortcomings.

Abstract

Climate-smart agriculture technological innovations (CSATIs) provide needed benefits within base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) contexts, where smallholder farmers are vulnerable to climate change. Yet, the diffusion of CSATIs is slowed by a range of barriers. Sustainable entrepreneurs can be catalysts for the enhanced diffusion of CSATIs. The business models they use drive their ability to diffuse CSATIs. While there is a good understanding of the role of business models in the diffusion of agri-technology in Western and developed economies, their role in BoP settings is less understood. This chapter takes an in-depth qualitative approach to explore factors that shape the ability of business models used by sustainable entrepreneurs to diffuse CSATIs within BoP contexts. The results indicate that adjustments to current business models could enhance the diffusion of CSATIs. While most sustainable entrepreneurs who participated in this study agree on the shortcomings of their current business models, they differed in how they addressed these shortcomings.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110756159-015

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
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