Is inclusive business for you? Managing and upscaling an inclusive company – lessons from the field
This publication (PDF) by the Centre for Development Innovation (CDI) and The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) provides readers with a valuable understanding of how agri-food markets can contribute to food security and rural poverty reduction, while still building profitable commercial relations. The report gives the outcomes of the ‘From Islands of Success to Seas of Change’ initiative on scaling inclusive agri-food markets. It combines background research, interviews and case studies with the insights of 100 leaders from business, government, NGOs, research, and farmer organizations who attended the Seas of Change workshop in April 2012. The case for scaling inclusive agrifood markets is explained and ten key challenges are explored. This leads to lessons for key stakeholders and a follow-up agenda for improved targeting of inclusive investments. It aims to distil original research on incentives and mechanisms for inclusiveness, success factors and obstacles, and opportunities for scaling up successful models. Bringing together ten case studies across a wide range of commodities in East Africa, the book features numerous photos, tables and diagrams, and includes a useful ‘Lessons learnt’ chapter at the end.