The contingent interplay between resources, entrepreneurship and agribusiness performance among small-scale agri-food actors
This study examines the role of entrepreneurship in enhancing resource-based performance among rural farmers and traders operating in dynamic agribusiness environments. It introduces a conceptual framework rooted in resource orchestration, entrepreneurial orientation (EO), and contingency theory. To evaluate this framework, multi-tier data from 708 farmers and 639 fruit and vegetable traders in Zambia were analyzed using structural equation modeling, incorporating mediation and moderation analyses. Findings indicate that financial, physical, and social resources positively impact EO in both farmers and traders, which, in turn, mediates their business performance outcomes. Moderation analyses reveal that these effects fluctuate based on dominant business contingencies, leading to entrepreneurial mismatches across different tiers of the agricultural value chain. Specifically, farmers’ entrepreneurial success is shaped by power asymmetry, market competition, and supplier–buyer dynamics, while traders’ entrepreneurial capability is influenced by organizational trust, market competition, and supplier–buyer relationships. The study provides empirical insights into how small-scale farmers and traders manage their resources to develop entrepreneurial capacity, which ultimately improves their business outcomes in uncertain economic conditions. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, the research offers valuable theoretical, practical, and policy implications for strengthening rural entrepreneurship in developing economies.
Authors
Adetoyinbo, A.,Harrison, R.,Mithöfer, D.
Publication year
2025
