Social enterprises can help build resilient and inclusive agrifood systems by addressing market gaps while generating social and economic impact, a social entrepreneurship expert said during the 56th Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Online Learning and Virtual Engagement (SOLVE) webinar held on 22 July 2026.
Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, Senior Lecturer and Online MBA Program Manager at the Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, told more than 200 participants on Zoom and Facebook Live that social enterprise models can help smallholder farmers cope with climate risks, fragmented value chains, limited market access, and weak bargaining power.
In his talk, “From Purpose to Practice: Social Enterprise Business Models for Resilient Agri-Food Systems,” Cheah said social enterprises can generate both economic and social value by combining commercial viability with a clear social or environmental mission.
“Social entrepreneurship allows us to redesign who creates value, who pays, and who shares the gains,” Cheah said, adding that innovative business models can create more equitable outcomes across agricultural value chains.
Unlike traditional businesses that prioritize profit or charities that rely on grants and donations, social enterprises earn through commercial activities and reinvest part of their earnings to advance their social mission, allowing them to remain financially viable while addressing social and environmental challenges.
Cheah cited regional examples including Langit Collective in Malaysia, which connects indigenous farmers with urban consumers; Mayani in the Philippines, which links smallholder farmers to consumers and institutional buyers; and Coffee for Peace, which supports conflict-affected coffee communities through training, quality improvement and market access. He also cited initiatives from Lao PDR, Thailand and Singapore.
He said these enterprises share common strategies: aggregating demand, strengthening producers’ capacities, improving market access and distributing risks more equitably across agricultural value chains.
The webinar also highlighted the role of higher education institutions in developing the next generation of social entrepreneurs. In the open forum, Cheah encouraged students and young professionals to start small, learn through experimentation and view entrepreneurship as a viable path for creating meaningful impact in agriculture.
The SOLVE webinar series is SEARCA’s flagship online platform for experts, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and development partners to discuss emerging issues, innovative approaches, and practical solutions for transforming agrifood systems in Southeast Asia.