‘Seeing someone like me’: Digital relatability and women's identity in the rise of digital agricultural entrepreneurship

This study examines how digitally-facilitated peer relatability shapes the entrepreneurial identities of young women agrifood entrepeneurs in South Africa. Women's engagement in agrifood entrepreneurship is often constrained by gender norms, stereotypes, and institutional barriers, which can limit their own identification as legitimate entrepreneurs. Digital technologies are increasingly recognised as tools for breaking down some of these barriers, yet little research has explored the mechanism by which digital platforms facilitate identity reconstruction among young women to enable them to see themselves as capable and legitimate agrifood entrepreneurs. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for revealing how women develop the confidence, entrepreneurial capabilities, and drive necessary to pursue entrepreneurial agriculture, and how they can be supported to do so effectively. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 26 young women agrifood entrepreneurs, members of the Redefine Facebook Group, this study demonstrates that encounters with relatable peers and relatable mentorship helps women see themselves as capable and competent actors, strengthening their entrepreneurial identity and ambition. These interactions challenge exclusionary gender norms, affirm women's capabilities, and motivate sustained engagement in agricultural entrepreneurship, even against challenges. The findings suggest that digital platforms designed to support young women should prioritize relatability, peer mentorship, and representation, as these directly facilitate their entrepreneurial identity reconstruction and formation.