Inclusive Business for Smallholders’ Household Food and Nutrition Security: Disconcerting Results from an Analysis of a French Bean Agri-investment in Kenya

James Wangu,Ellen Mangnus,Alphons De Vocht,A C M (Guus) Van Westen

doi:10.1177/2455133321994209

James Wangu, Ellen Mangnus + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/2455133321994209

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Abstract

Inclusive business is regarded as having the potential to improve food security status in the Global South. Despite increased popularity among governments, donors and other development stakeholders, little is known about the approach’s impact on smallholder farmer communities. As such, the above-mentioned inclusive business promise on food security status largely rests on assumptions. This article scrutinises a case of smallholders’ French bean production for export market in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The business model adopted in the initiative is termed inclusive and is intended to enhance food and nutrition security in the community. The empirical findings show that several contextual factors—in particular, access to land and water resources—limit the participation of the majority of farmers in the community. This leads to a notable level of exclusion. Moreover, the company risks negatively influencing local food security when food crops are substituted for an export crop that is not consumed locally. Results of this article demonstrate that while private sector-led development might contribute to higher economic productivity and access to food of better quality, it rarely changes the structural causes of food and nutrition insecurity, which are oftentimes related to access to production resources. We plead for increased scrutiny of the contextual factors when designing and implementing inclusive business models.

Highlights

In 2005 the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) launched the concept of ‘Inclusive Business’ (GIZ, 2013)
The persistent food crisis in the country has even prompted the government to make food and nutrition security among the crucial target in its ‘Big-Four Agenda’, in which it proposes an increased role of the private actors in the agricultural sector (KEPSA, 2017). In light of these circumstances, several smallholders’ targeted inclusive business initiatives by the Kenyan government and development agencies have been implemented in the recent past, and others are underway across the country
It is known to account for 19% of the total horticulture value and 25% of the total volume of vegetables exported from Kenya (RSA, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

In 2005 the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) launched the concept of ‘Inclusive Business’ (GIZ, 2013). The section discusses the evolution of private sector development in policy and cooperation in the Global South, with the aim of providing the background of inclusive business embraced as a crucial strategy to address food security. The persistent food crisis in the country has even prompted the government to make food and nutrition security among the crucial target in its ‘Big-Four Agenda’, in which it proposes an increased role of the private actors in the agricultural sector (KEPSA, 2017) In light of these circumstances, several smallholders’ targeted inclusive business initiatives by the Kenyan government and development agencies have been implemented in the recent past, and others are underway across the country

Materials and Methods

Findings

Kenyan government through its business agency