An assessment of 'Inclusive' Business Models: Vehicles for Development, or Neo-Colonial Practices?

Abstract In a period of decreasing aid budgets and increasing private sector engagement in the Global South, Inclusive Business- referring to business model that integrates marginalized people company’s value chain as suppliers, distributors, retailers, or customers mutual benefit both company community has become preferred development strategy. However so far impacts inclusive models on livelihoods these ‘marginalized people’ have remained elusive. With this paper I aim contribute better understanding perceived by communities. Starting from idea rural landscape is socially differentiated, scrutinize impact ground at level farmer communities two very different settings: savannah North-Ghana green valleys slope Mount Kenya East Kenya. The findings indicate diverse groups are impacted differently models. Both companies catalyse trajectories long term might negative repercussions smallholders. These long-term, unintended, obfuscated frameworks used assess can only be partial answer overcoming poverty food insecurity.