Abstract

The case ‘Arakunomics: An Integrated Economic Model Empowering Local Tribal Communities’ is about Araku Coffee, a social initiative by Manoj Kumar (Manoj), CEO of Naandi Foundation, an NGO based in India. Araku Coffee was a specialty coffee grown by the tribal farmers of Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh, India. The organically certified coffee was produced by tribal farmers through fair trade cooperatives, among the largest cooperatives in the world. The case dwells upon the need for the social initiative for the tribal farmers and also focuses on the sustainable and inclusive Arakunomics model of social entrepreneurship that provided the tribals with a sustainable means of livelihood. The case also looks at Manoj’s efforts to convince the tribals to grow coffee through organic farming in a sustainable way. The Arakunomics model was an integrated economic model which assured farmers of profits and the consumers of quality products through the use of regenerative agriculture. The tribals were also provided training in the use of bio-composting with the locally available organic material. The impact of Arakunomics and its success in bringing the tribals above the poverty line with a sustainable mode of living are discussed in the case. The success of the social initiative led to Naandi Foundation planning to implement the Arakunomics model of social entrepreneurship in other places of the country. Can Manoj successfully replicate the Arakunomics model and transform the lives of farmers across the country?

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Analyze the role of social entrepreneurship in empowering tribal farmers.
• Examine the various approaches available to social enterprises to measure their social impact.
• Analyze how social entrepreneurship can create wealth both for the investors and the targeted population.

Keywords

Social entrepreneurship; arakunomics; social entrepreneurship models; social enterprise; empowerment; regenerative agriculture; impact of social enterprise