Social Entrepreneurship Journeys in Agriculture

Most case studies of social enterprises focus on their dual (or triple) purpose and an assessment impact of their impact on intended beneficiary groups. While such case stu­dies provide analytical insights, they offer limited learning value to budding entrepreneurs starting on their own journeys. By focusing on entrepreneurial processes of social enterprises, the book Farming Futures: Emerging Social Enterprises in India offers a welcome and valuable change from the usual.

The book presents 15 case studies of social enterprises in the agriculture sector. The authors use a heuristic definition of social enterprises, characterising them as “mission-first” organisations, which focus on access, assurance and ­affordability to achieve specific ends. Social enterprises are seen to occupy a space that is left partially addressed by the government, market and civil ­society. Since the book aims to study ­social enterprises in their growth phase, the 15 cases focus on organisations that have completed at least four years of existence.