Reducing Poverty and Hunger Through Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Social entrepreneurs are needed in adequate numbers in different spheres of development—that is, global, national, and community levels—to enable the effective design and implementation of poverty and hunger reduction programs. Yet, organized efforts to develop and promote the capacity for social innovation and entrepreneurship have been limited. This is in sharp contrast to the private sector, where entrepreneurship has been and continues to be a major force driving development. Recent experiences have shown that introducing entrepreneurial spirit into the development process can improve the effectiveness of intervention programs.

This article by the International Food Policy Research Institute, discusses how social entrepreneurs at policy, business and programme levels could ensure the effective implementation of the programmes aimed at the poverty and hunger reduction and how the spirit and skills required could be infused through mainstream education programs. It is apparent that without new approaches and skills in regions where poverty and hunger are chronic, strategies and programs will continue to fall short of their intended goals.

Read the full article here.