A critical comparable analysis between Lower Saxony and Lanarkshire on refugee entrepreneurship in the agri-food sector
The proposed research project aims to investigate the motivations and challenges faced by tenured refugees engaging in entrepreneurship within the agri-food sector in Lower Saxony, Germany, and Lanarkshire, Scotland. Given the increasing number of refugees globally and the economic potential of immigrant entrepreneurship, this study seeks to understand how refugees’ entrepreneurial activities can be leveraged to improve their labour market participation and contribute to rural socio-economic development. The research builds on existing literature that highlights three main strands of refugee research: determinants of refugee applications, the economic impact of refugees on host countries, and policies promoting refugee labour market assimilation.
This research focuses on tenured refugees—those granted asylum and legal work permits—and their involvement in the agri-food value chain, encompassing production, processing, retailing, and selling. The study aims to explore their motivations for becoming entrepreneurs, the challenges they
encounter at different business stages, and the influence of institutional factors and social networks on their entrepreneurial activities.
Employing mixed methods, the study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative semi-structured interviews, ensuring a robust data triangulation approach. This methodology will provide comprehensive insights into the nuanced experiences of refugee entrepreneurs. The findings are expected to contribute to policies that enhance refugee labour participation and support sustainable development goals, such as decent work, economic growth, poverty reduction, and food security.
Sustainability is a key consideration, with plans for environmentally conscious travel and long-term collaboration between the research partners. This project aims not only to generate academic insights but also to offer practical policy recommendations to support refugee integration and rural development through entrepreneurship in the agri-food sector.
Project Owners
Melissa Mesek
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Melissa Mesek is a PhD student in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Glasgow Caledonian University. Her research interests are the socio-economic inclusion of disadvantaged actors in international contexts, female entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems, gender equality coupled with public policymaking, innovative methodological approaches, and pedagogy in entrepreneurship education.
Oscar Ampofo
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Oscar Ampofo is a research assistant and Doctoral student at the University of Gottingen, mainly focusing on agricultural, food and resource economics in the fields of agri-financce, micro-credits, land use and resource economics, and spatial modelling.