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

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.