Seeds of change: Promoting platforms for grassroot micro enterprise development in Africa.

摘要

Farmers in Africa are faced with challenges including poverty, food insecurity and poor institutional support. Vibrant grassroots institutions are necessary to leverage on the available social capital, local resources and provide networks for successful enterprises. This study argues that group coalitions within platforms assist grassroots communities to effectively engage in enterprise development, achieve economies of scale, collective bargaining power and access to essential resources. Consequently, these lead to increased incomes and asset accumulation among member households.;A series of interviews, focus group discussions with group enterprises, and a stratified household survey data were utilized to establish the impact of platforms on enterprise development and household well-being. Findings indicate that platforms play a role in increasing incomes and assets. It concludes that institutional factors such as social capital, collective action and bargaining among others, created through platforms impacts on the success of enterprises and household well-being_.