Empowerment of coconut MSMEs using technological capability analysis in Kerala’s agricultural landscape, India

This study investigates the technological capabilities (TC) of coconut based micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kerala, India, to address systemic capacity variations in value-added agribusiness. A comprehensive Technological Capability Index (TCI) was developed as a composite framework integrating enterprise resources, technological innovation, market competence, and resource coordination. The empirical results reveal significant structural disparities, with micro-enterprises demonstrating a critically lower TCI compared to small and medium strata, while innovations in technology use emerged as the dominant dimension driving sustainable performance across all categories. The results contribute a validated diagnostic tool for policymakers to move away from uniform support schemes and instead design tiered, scale-specific interventions that target the distinct resource constraints of micro-enterprises. Furthermore, it provides a strategic roadmap for promotional agencies to optimize public–private resource allocation toward cluster-based processing technologies and shared market linkages. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that leveraging technology capability analysis enables targeted technology adoption, localized innovation, and enhanced market competitiveness, fostering the long-term sustainability of the agrarian MSME sector.