42. Women Entrepreneurship and New Business Models for a Quality Production of Aloe Vera in Jordan

Aloe vera L. is a vegetal matrix of great interest. The gel obtained from its leaves is useful for the production of numerous items, even in different sectors, such as phytotherapy and cosmetics, thanks to its healthy and beneficial properties. This action research took place within the project “Promozione della filiera agribusiness dell’Aloe vera attraverso l’implementazione di un progetto pilota a sostegno delle cooperative di piccoli produttori nell’area di Karak in Giordania” (AID 11481), implemented by Jean Paul II Foundation and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The main objective of the project is to promote the A. vera chain in the Jordan Valley in Fifa, Karak region (Jordan). The project involved microenterprises owned by women with the purpose of providing training, materials, and equipment and designing a business model based on the cultivation, transformation, and sale of A. vera. This paper is structured in three parts: first, the methodology applied during the research is explained, then the core part focuses on some contextual factors and some common features observed among the target enterprises, and then the results regarding the definition of the business model and quality procedures.