Women Entrepreneurship in Multifunctional Agriculture for Rural Revival in Serbia

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the benefits of rural living and underlined the importance of strengthening local food systems and empowering family farming and women farmers given the crucial role they play in multifunctional agriculture, climate resilience, and recovery from the pandemic. Multifunctional agriculture is an effective framework for a set of business models that integrate economic, environmental, and socio-cultural impacts of agriculture and food production on sustainable rural development. Innovative business models in multifunctional agriculture give new opportunities for women farmers only if they enjoy gender equality and have access to work-life balance services. This chapter per the authors analyzes women entrepreneurship in Serbian agriculture using business model canvas analysis of a case study farm from the Homolje area (East Serbia). Research results, solutions, and recommendations aim to raise awareness of the role of women's multifunctional entrepreneurship and collaborative business strategies in rural revival within the new normal paradigm.