Agroecology Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Rural Economy: Obstacles and Strategic Interventions

Ishmael Iwara ORCID iD & Beata Kilonzo ORCID iD

Issue: Vol.6  No.5 Issue Article 2 pp. 392 – 401
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025652 | Published online 4th April, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Globally, agroecology entrepreneurial undertakings are crucial in mitigating environmental susceptibility to climate change and fostering economic resilience, particularly in vulnerable regions. In Africa, however, entrepreneurs in this sector face numerous barriers, including complex land tenure systems dominated by traditional authorities, access to funding, inconsistent consumer demand, and technological constraints. Through a qualitative participatory action research approach, this case study examined the lived experiences of agroecology entrepreneurs operating in South Africa, offering comprehensive insights for stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, green investors, and policymakers. The key findings isolated multi-stakeholder collaboration and public-private partnerships as essential in mitigating the identified challenges. These measures could target consumer awareness campaigns to bridge the “green gap” and align purchasing behaviours with sustainability goals. Subsidising green technologies for sustainable agroecology ventures is also necessary for overcoming technological limitations. The study offers a comprehensive approach to facilitating sustainable agroecology entrepreneurship in rural areas.

Keywords: Agroecology, Environmental Resilience, Green Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Rural Economy

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Dr. Ishmael Iwara, a rated researcher by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), is a development economist. His evolving research focuses on agrobusiness, entrepreneurial universities, enterprise efficacy, rural development and sustainability.

Dr. Beata Kilonzo (Senior Lecturer, University of Venda, Phd) is an academic and researcher specializing in sustainable rural development. Kilonzo has a strong background in social sciences, particularly in rural areas, and her work focuses on the economic benefits of sustainable rural development. She has researched widely on topics related to entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability and energy access in developing regions.

Iwara, Ishmael, and Beata Kilonzo. “Agroecology Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Rural Economy: Obstacles and Strategic Interventions,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.5 (2025): 392 – 401. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025652

© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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