Making Markets More Inclusive ― Lessons from Care and the Future of Sustainability in Agricultural Value Chain Development

Most studies of doing business at the 'bottom of the economic pyramid' focus on viewing the poor as consumers, as micro-entrepreneurs, or as potential employees of local companies. Almost no analysis focuses on the poor as primary producers of agricultural commodities—a striking omission given that primary producers are by far the largest segment of the working-age population in developing economies.

Making Markets More Inclusive bridges the management literature with original research on agricultural value chains in developing and emerging economies. This exciting work is the first to delve into the skills, capabilities, strategies and approaches needed for inclusive value chain development. McKague shows how NGOs and companies can connect poor producers in developing economies with the right markets to better create social and economic impact. He also analyzes one of the leading agricultural value chain initiatives in the world, which is being replicated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in several different value chains in Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana, India and Mali.

Kevin McKague is Visiting Professor at Cape Breton University, Canada, and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, USA.

Muhammad Siddiquee is Coordinator of Agriculture and Value Chain Programs at CARE Bangladesh.