Towards an Africa-Centred Theory of Market Inclusion: Institutional Plurality and Ecosystem Governance in Agri-Food Systems

Smallholder farmers are central to African agri-food systems, yet participation in higher-value markets remains uneven. This paper develops an Africa-centred account of market inclusion that connects market access to the institutional arrangements governing participation. A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024 retained 319 studies for thematic mapping, of which 98 were selected for detailed qualitative synthesis across finance, supply chains, institutions, digital technologies, and networks. Interpreted through African political economy, constructionist institutional theory, and African management scholarship, the synthesis identifies three interacting analytical layers: structural conditions, institutional governance, and entrepreneurial agency. It then proposes an Ecosystemic Governance Model comprising six interdependent pillars: relational market governance, adaptive institutional design, entrepreneurial capability and collective agency, inclusive infrastructure systems, inclusive financial architecture, and adaptive learning and institutional feedback. The paper contributes by treating institutional plurality as constitutive of market participation, recognising smallholders’ capacity to reshape governance through collective action, and connecting access interventions to the distribution of authority, risk, and benefits. The model is a theory-building synthesis rather than a tested causal explanation. It provides a basis for examining how locally grounded governance arrangements can support more equitable and resilient participation across diverse African settings