Servitizing for sustainability: Leveraging technology-enabled platforms and service innovation for carbon reduction in Africa’s Agri-Food Sector: A dynamic capabilities perspective

This study uses the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) as the theoretical framework to explore how servitization, service innovation, and technology platforms can reduce carbon emissions in Africa’s agri-food industry. The agri-food sector, which plays a significant role in global carbon emissions, is under pressure to make sustainable changes. This study investigates servitization, which integrates services with traditional products to enhance environmental sustainability. The study shows how dynamic capabilities help adjust to environmental and technological changes for sustainability. Employing a natural experiment methodology, we analyzed data on African agri-food firms from 2020 to 2022, comparing those that have implemented servitization strategies against those that have not. The findings reveal that servitization, mainly supported by service innovation and technology platforms, significantly contributes to lowering carbon emissions, leading toward sustainable agricultural practices. The findings broaden the DCV to include environmental sustainability in the agri-food sector, offering practical tips on leveraging servitization to decrease carbon footprints in emerging markets.