Technological Innovation for Enhancing the Economic Sustainability of Urban Agriculture Enterprises: Evidence from Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Enterprises in North India

1.    Durga Devi, Research Scholar, School of Management, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, Campus, Lothiyan Marg, Kashmere Gate, AUD, Delhi, 110006

Email-ddevi.20@stu.aud.ac.in

2.    Dr. Kanwal Anil, Associate Professor, School of Management, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, Campus, Lothiyan Marg, Kashmere Gate, AUD, Delhi, 110006

Email-kanwal@aud.ac.in

Abstract

Urban agriculture has gained increasing attention as a sustainable approach to strengthening urban food systems and improving economic opportunities. Despite the growing adoption of urban agriculture, limited empirical evidence explains how technological innovation contributes to the economic sustainability of enterprises producing exotic fruits and vegetables, particularly in the Indian context. This study examines how technological innovation enhances the economic sustainability of urban agriculture enterprises in North India. A qualitative multiple-case study involving ten urban agriculture enterprises was undertaken. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations, and secondary sources and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that technologies such as hydroponics, protected cultivation, IoT-enabled monitoring, precision irrigation, and digital marketing improve operational efficiency, optimise resource utilisation, expand market access, and strengthen business resilience. The study further demonstrates that the economic benefits of technological innovation are maximised when supported by entrepreneurial capability and an enabling institutional environment. By extending the Resource-Based View (RBV) to the context of urban agriculture enterprises, this study contributes to the emerging literature on technology-enabled sustainable entrepreneurship. It also proposes a technology-driven framework for strengthening the economic sustainability of urban agriculture enterprises and offers practical insights for entrepreneurs and policymakers..

Keywords: Urban agriculture enterprises; technological innovation; economic sustainability; exotic fruits and vegetables; qualitative case study; North India; sustainable entrepreneurship; digital agriculture.