Investment Platforms for Implementing an Inclusive Development Agribusiness Model

Abstract

Digital technologies considerably facilitate access of various economic actors to financial markets, contributing to an introduction of an inclusive model of economic development. Agribusiness is characterized by a high technological diversity, what implies the development of mechanisms for small farmers’ integration into agricultural food chains in order to increase the sustainability of agro-industrial regions. The chapter shows the advantages and risks of digital platforms’ use in the introduction of an inclusive model of agribusiness (using the example of two regions of the South of Russia). In order to introduce such a model, the authors suggest using remote investment in the agricultural sector and reveal advantages of digital investment platforms in the solution of inclusive development problems. The analysis of existing investment platforms in Russia showed their low use in the contemporary agribusiness largely due to the lack of necessary competencies among agricultural producers. The authors give recommendations to accelerate the integration of investment platforms in the agro-industrial sector and show the necessity of targeted efforts of regional authorities aimed at development of motivation system to increase investment flows to rural areas and introduce an inclusive model of the agricultural development.