What the study found
The review found that hybrid practices combining social innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship contributed to the socio-environmental resilience of rural producers. The study also reports that these practices were more effective when they operated in favorable institutional settings.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that the findings offer practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners. They suggest that integrated rural development strategies should support enabling institutional conditions, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term sustainability of hybrid agri-food initiatives.
What the researchers tested
The researchers conducted a systematic review using PRISMA 2020 methodology. They examined social innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship practices in the agri-food sector, assessed their effects on sustainability dimensions, and identified success factors and barriers.
What worked and what didn't
The review found more studies on social innovation than on sustainable entrepreneurship, with examples from Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Reported positive effects included social inclusion, community empowerment, market access, income diversification, and improved environmental practices. Facilitating factors included collaborative governance, local leadership, and the ability to combine different resources, while barriers included poorly adapted regulations, dependence on external funding, and tensions between economic and socio-environmental goals.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not provide study-level quality details beyond the use of PRISMA 2020. It also does not give a full account of how each initiative was assessed, and it notes that the evidence was synthesized from diverse experiences rather than from a single setting.
Key points
- The review concluded that hybrid social innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship practices supported rural producers' socio-environmental resilience.
- Positive effects reported across initiatives included social inclusion, community empowerment, market access, income diversification, and environmental improvements.
- The study found key enabling factors such as collaborative governance, local leadership, and combining heterogeneous resources.
- Major barriers included weakly adapted regulations, reliance on external funding, and tension between economic and socio-environmental goals.
- Most of the reviewed literature focused on social innovation rather than sustainable entrepreneurship.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Hybrid agri-food practices supported rural resilience
- Authors:
- Esther Reyna Molina, María Xóchitl Astudillo Miller, Yanik I. Maldonado-Astudillo, Ricardo Salazar
- Institutions:
- Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-29
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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