Turning constraints into catalysts through bricolage to spur green agricultural entrepreneurship among returnees

Fostering agricultural green entrepreneurship (AGE) is essential for achieving inclusive rural development and environmental sustainability, particularly in regions facing severe resource constraints such as Pakistan. While resource bricolage theory has been widely applied in industrial and urban entrepreneurship research, its micro-level role in shaping agricultural green entrepreneurship among returnee migrants in developing countries remains largely unexplored. This study examines how resource bricolage the creative mobilization and recombination of available but limited resources affects AGE outcomes among returnee rural migrants in the Balochistan and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. Using survey data collected in 2023 from 480 returnee agricultural entrepreneurs, we apply multiple linear regression and mediation analysis to evaluate the effects of four types of bricolage: skill, customer, institutional, and network. The findings show that skill bricolage has the strongest impact on AGE, followed by customer, institutional, and network bricolage. Mechanism tests reveal that bricolage enhances AGE by expanding sales channels and broadening business scope. Subgroup analysis indicates stronger effects among market-oriented entrepreneurs, returning migrant workers, and younger or less-experienced returnees. These results highlight the importance of fostering adaptive capacity and resource integration strategies among returnees to promote inclusive and sustainable green entrepreneurship.