Record Details

Sustainable Business Models for Informal Charcoal Producers in Kenya

OAR@ICRISAT

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Field Value
 
Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/11816/
https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063475
doi:10.3390/su13063475
 
Title Sustainable Business Models for Informal Charcoal Producers in Kenya
 
Creator Mutta, D
Mahamane, L
Wekesa, C
Kowero, G
Roos, A
 
Subject Livelihoods
Value Chains
 
Description The sustainable business model (SBM) concept requires enterprises to integrate sustainability
aspects in their planning and operations. Although 60% of the global working population
make their living in the informal sector mostly in low-and middle income countries, the potential
for SBMs has rarely been analyzed for this category. This study explores the SBMs of informal
charcoal-producing enterprises in coastal Kenya. It describes key business-model components: value
proposition, value creation and delivery, and economic value capture. Impact and dependency on
sustainability-related indicators were also studied. Data were obtained through individual interviews,
focus-group discussions, and workshops for charcoal producers and other relevant stakeholders.
Findings demonstrated that charcoal enterprises, despite their informal status, adopt elaborate
business models. The incomes positively affect several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by
reducing, if not eradicating, poverty and supporting basic livelihood needs. Examples of negative
impacts on some SDG include the activity’s contribution to forest degradation. Feedback impacts,
where SDG status influence the informal enterprises’ opportunities were also identified. The SBM
model contributes to the development of a balanced sustainability transition of the charcoal sector.
We suggest further analyses of the role of informal enterprises in the bioenergy sector for sustainable
development and how their SBMs could be improved.
 
Publisher MDPI
 
Date 2021-03
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/11816/1/sustainability-13-03475.pdf
Mutta, D and Mahamane, L and Wekesa, C and Kowero, G and Roos, A (2021) Sustainable Business Models for Informal Charcoal Producers in Kenya. Sustainability (TSI), 13 (6). pp. 1-17. ISSN 2071-1050