Contingent Relations Between Microcredit and Entrepreneurial Re-Engagement in Traditional Rural Contexts: An Exploration of the Case of Peasants From Madagascar

Abstract

This study examines the relationships between microcredit and entrepreneurial re-engagement in traditional rural societies. We focus on the psychosociological dimensions of this process in the face of often precarious contexts where innovation is not the norm. Our results show that although they start from relatively similar background, individuals gradually differentiate themselves from each other. We thus identify three forms of re-engagement: subsistence, diversification and growth. Our recommendations in terms of selection and support of beneficiaries consist in a plural approach and entrepreneurship, considering with equal interest mainly commercial orientations and not only lucrative approaches integrating social and solidarity values, with in particular the preservation of certain traditions.