Success Factors for Women Entrepreneurs in the Agro-Food Sector: The Moderating Role of Family Support

The economic growth of any country is strongly correlated with entrepreneurs (Sagar et al., 2023). These individuals possess problem-solving abilities, sufficient capital, and the capacity to produce innovative ideas in marketing to sell their products and services (Ordeñana et al., 2024). They also can make sound decisions to guarantee that these ideas are focused on generating profits. Entrepreneurs, particularly in small and medium firms, have the potential to significantly contribute to social and economic growth (Awan & Ahmad, 2017). The presence of women-owned small and medium enterprises is seeing significant growth and contributes to the economy of almost all regions indifferent countries like India (Rastogi et al., 2022). The untapped potentials of women entrepreneurs have been gradually changing due to the increasing awareness of their position and economic status in society (Agarwal et al., 2022). Although the number of women entrepreneurs in India is increasing, they still face several obstacles to achieving success, including alack of support, insufficient funding, and family support. The agrifood business is one of the critical sectors in world economies. It is a sector where women rise to seize opportunities while encountering challenges (Meliá-Martí et al., 2022). These women, often called 'agripreneurs,' are critical actors on the margins in promoting innovation, food security, and economic development in the 21st century (Singh et al., 2022). Women are inevitably influential within the core of the agro-food system and are more involved in more than forty percent of the farming activity in the developing world (Estigoy et al., 2023). However, they face several obstacles, from dominant culture to prejudice and practices that limit their chances to receive resources, training, or access to legal protection. These barriers tend to keep them from attaining more technical jobs and present digital competencies of high career mobility and ownership (Khan et al., 2021). Also, challenges, including gender, considering that most affected by agriculture are women, and this worsens gender disparities. However, women in agriculture are driven to create solutions to hurdles they encounter, buoyed by the following factors (Savage et al., 2023). Substance social support and support structures are equally critical in supporting one to prepare to be constructive, providing abase for knowledge sharing, coaching, and reassurance. Modes of personality, tenacity, flexibility, and a visionary disposition are among the foundational characteristics on which many a woman erects her firm in the agro-food industry. When well tapped, these aspects allow women to challenge the odds in agriculture and food production systems for adversity (Ogujiuba, 2021). Another determinant is market training, whereby the females are trained to open their eyes and see what the market is compelling them to sell the products, among other factors (Agarwal et al., 2018; Khan et al., 2021). Therefore, the combination of the factors mentioned above defines a favourable landscape for women agripreneurs to thrive and usher in transformational change in the agro-food value chain. Former governmental policies that encourage women to manage agricultural food production, effective social networks to share experiences and learn from other women, additional personnel character, and trained women'smarket knowledge help cope with the challenges (Agarwal et al., 2018; Khan et al., 2021). The goal of this research is to discuss these success factors (business competencies, marketing skills, government support, self-confidence, risk-taking and sociocultural factors) and their synergistic relationship and provide key recommendations on how to promote the success and growth of women agripreneurs going forward, to not only have a sustainable and desirably diversified agrifood industry. Although these factors have been studied in separate frameworks (Agarwal et al., 2018; Khan et al., 2021), this work has used an integrated approach to study personal and other factors responsible for business success for women entrepreneurs in the food sector. Moreover, the moderating role of family support has been studied in the framework. 1.1 Research Gap: Even though the research studies on women entrepreneurs in the agro-food sector have considerably increased in recent years, the documentation of the variables defining success and effectiveness in Northern Indian women entrepreneurs and the role of family support in those processes is scarce (Arafat et al., 2021). Previous and existing research primarily centres on the global general entrepreneurial context with little paradigmatic emphasis on the sociocultural and economic profile within Northern India (Garima et al., 2023). This region, with diverse cultural standards of both business and feminine, has its peculiar business climate that challenges and inspires women entrepreneurs. A study carried out in the recent past discussed the variables affecting the entrepreneurial capacity of women, explaining how government support, family social support, financial literacy and managerial skills impact the women involved in entrepreneurship. Nevertheless, it is necessary to indicate that this study has given insights into related general entrepreneurship environments instead of concentrating on the agro-food sector. Furthermore, the role of family support is a unique contribution to this work.