Abstract
This study explores the critical role of government support in shaping smallholder farmers’ sustainable entrepreneurial intentions, employing the Triple Bottom Line and governance framework. This study was conducted in four districts of Tamil Nadu, engaging 93 farmers in 6 focus group discussions with FPOs and FPCs (15 participants each) and personal interviews with 3 agripreneurs. Using qualitative methodologies, the research employed NVivo 15 for data organization and thematic analysis through an interpretive structural modeling approach to identify enabling factors of farmers’ entrepreneurial intention. The findings reveal interconnected enablers such as direct market access, financial and training support, community collaboration, sustainable farming practices, and good governance. These enablers enhance farmers’ entrepreneurial mindset and intention and promote equity, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Sentiment analysis and thematic visualizations validate the insights, highlighting diverse patterns yet coherent stakeholder priorities aligned with the TBL and governance framework. The findings emphasize the importance of creating entrepreneurial ecosystems through financial schemes, capacity-building initiatives, and market access strategies. This research provides actionable insights for agricultural policy, integrating governance into the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework to enhance decision-making, support Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs), and boost community involvement. This study bridges critical gaps in sustainability frameworks, empowering policymakers and stakeholders to develop inclusive, effective support systems tailored to smallholder farmers’ unique needs. This will ultimately pave the way for resilient and sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship.
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AFYI: Identification of the Topic; Methodology; Investigation in data collection; Data analysis; Manuscript draft. PJM: Validation of the topic; Theoretical framework; Supervision; Final Manuscript validation.
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All research was conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations applicable to studies involving human participants. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethical Committee for Human Studies, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India, under approval number VIT/IECH/2025/16 IECH/8 February 2025/30, granted on March 3, 2025, for one year. The committee members included Dr. S. Sivakumar, Dr. Pragasam Viswanathan, Dr. Rajesh N. G., Dr. C. P. Girish Kumar, Dr. Kalaiselvi, Dr. S. Sreeja, Dr. N. Aravind Yuvaraj, Dr. Prasanna Samuel, Dr. Nagaraju Gundemeda, Dr. Venkatesan Kuppusamy, and Mr. M. R. Ravishankar. The study was independently reviewed by the ethics committee and deemed to have scientific and social value while minimizing risks to participants. The scope of approval includes collecting quantitative and qualitative data from consent-informed respondents, conducting statistical and thematic analysis based on the self-collected data, and sharing results with the public without releasing respondents’ personal information.
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Informed consent was obtained through signed consent forms from all respondents after providing detailed information about the study’s objectives, risks, and benefits in the Tamil language. The respondents included are the members of Farmers’ Producer Companies, Farmers’ Producer Organizations, and key informant farmers. Mr. Atsu Ihou conducted focus group discussions and key informant interviews in March 2025. The consent covered respondents’ willingness, data use, and publication. Since this study did not involve interventions and relied on surveys and questionnaires, respondents were assured of their anonymity, the research purpose, and potential risks. No vulnerable individuals, such as minors, patients, or refugees, were involved.
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Ihou, A.F.Y., Mansingh, P.J. Unveiling government support in shaping farmers’ entrepreneurial mindset and intention. Humanit Soc Sci Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-06739-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-026-06739-6
