ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to
analyze the effects of policy on the development of Agro-based micro-enterprises
in the informal sector of Bayelsa State of Nigeria. Structured questionnaires
were used to collect data from 150 micro-enterprises that were randomly
selected. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression, Access model and the t-
statistics were employed for data analysis. Among the major findings were that
the agricultural micro-enterprises span the entire agricultural sector of crop
production, animal, fisheries, processing and trading. The age range of the
entrepreneurs were between 31-65 years (85.4%), with women dominating the
sector (58.0%). The level of education was appreciable with 44.0% having more
than primary education, the enterprises were relatively new with experience
range of 1-10years and 80.7% employed between 1 and 10 persons. The average
income was N100,000 per annum and an asset holding of N100,000 to
N150,000. Econometric estimation showed that experience, size, income
level, value of asset-holdings and credit history affected the amount of
micro-credit obtained significantly. Also, age, gender of entrepreneur and
level of education did not affect the amount of credit obtained significantly.
Further findings showed that only 23.3% had access to training and only 9.3%
have benefited in government market facilities. The access index of
micro-credit was 0.26 representing 26.0% in the entire state. The survey also
showed that tax policy also significantly affected the development of urban and
rural micro-enterprises. Also poor transportation, poor road network, poor
electricity supply, inadequate market infrastructure, inadequate subsidies and
micro-credit were the identified constraints to micro-enterprises development.
It is therefore recommended that the government, NGOs multinationals should
re-address the infrastructural policies, micro-credit policies, tax, training
programmes and if possible partner with private companies for a total over-haul
of the sector.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Information
Micro-enterprises
are generally small–to–medium scale economic units, organizations, ventures or
enterprises which activities are systematic and purposeful, with many usually
distinctively specialized in scope, but effectively isolated in technological
span and capacity (Osuala, 2004).
The Federal Government
small-scale Business Development Programme (SBDP) also defines micro-enterprise
as “any manufacturing, processing, trading and service industry with a capital
investment not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand naira (N150,000)
in machinery, stores and other equipment and employing not more than fifty (50)
workers.” The United States Agency for International Development (USAID, 2003)
also defines a micro-enterprise as one that comprises 10 or fewer employees,
including unpaid family workers, in which the owner or operator is considered
poor.
Micro-enterprises
in Nigeria fall into four classes within which there are more than 35
identifiable categories or typologies (Olomola, 1991). They include the
production, manufacturing, trading and service providing micro-enterprises. In
Bayelsa state, all these categories of micro-enterprises are found in the
rural, peri-urban and urban centres. Production micro-enterprises (especially
in the farming and fishing categories) are common in rural areas but are not
exclusive to them. Micro-enterprises involved in activities like
furniture-making are typically more in urban, while those in firewood, tooth
pick production, garri processing and oil-milling are more common in rural
areas. Also the non-agriculture-based and trading micro-enterprises are about
equally distributed between the three locations but with a higher volume
concentrated in the Peri-urban and urban centres. However, this study was
focused on agro-based micro enterprises.
Micro-enterprises
in the informal sector of Bayelsa State Span the entire agricultural production
(ie processing, distribution, marketing and consumption) spectrum. Most of
these micro-enterprises are proprietorships with a single owner-operator. In
more than 90 percent of the cases, they are usually not.....
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