Small and Medium Bamboo and Rattan Enterprises in Economic Empowerment in Kumasi: Perspectives of Producers
Journal Title: Journal of Social Economics - Year 2014, Vol 1, Issue 1
Abstract
In an increasingly business-oriented, cash-based city like Kumasi, people need access to cash income so as to maintain their businesses and families. Kumasi as the commercial hub of Ghana can boast of a number of scattered bamboo/rattan products producers. The employment dynamism of the bamboo/rattan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is very high and can lead to substantial poverty reduction to enhance the economic capacities of the craftsmen involved in the business. The objective of the study was to assess the economic potential of small and medium bamboo/rattan enterprises in terms of contributions to livelihood incomes and alleviating poverty of bamboo and rattan craftsmen in the Kumasi metropolis. A survey design approach was adopted, based on a purposive and snowball sampling techniques. A final sample of thirty-one participated in the study. Primary data were obtained through observations, personal interviews and structured questionnaire. The study established among others that bamboo/rattan SMEs have huge potentials to increase household livelihood incomes by way of direct employment for the craftsmen. The study also established that the bamboo/rattan SMEs was a middle income providing business whiles their products were also of high durability. The study concluded that the bamboo/rattan SMEs are sustainable in terms of generating income and creating employment for the craftsmen and their dependants to alleviate them from the mighty hands of poverty. Bamboo and rattan products can be a good source of income both for the country and for all those who are involved in the related business of bamboo/rattan items production. It is therefore imperative for the state to formulate more policies for the development of the bamboo and rattan sector in the country.
Authors and Affiliations
Bernard Effah, Ernest Boampong, Osei Asibey, Ninette Afi Pongo, Augustine Nkrumah
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP28634
- DOI -
- Views 333
- Downloads 8
Demographic Characteristics and Economic Growth: Rwanda’s Experience (1995-2014)
Given the combination of high poverty rates, persistently high population growth rates, and low per capita economic growth in most African countries, the link between demography and Economic growth has received renewed...
Food Security and Safety and Social Responsibility of Companies
The author presents the main documents and standards adopted at an international and European level with regard to food safety, as well as their correlation with the concept of social responsibility of companies. Also,...
Women Empowerment: Interrogating the Effectiveness of the GWAPA Small Business Development Projects Poverty Alleviation Programme in Zimbabwe
This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the GWAPA single mothers poverty alleviation programme. Three hundred and seventy five of the 1756 GWAPA single women members were used as questionnaire respondents, a...
The ‘People’ Element and Service Quality at the Zimbawe Banking Corporation (2003-2005): Debunking the Effectiveness of the Bank’s Internal Marketing Strategy
This study sought to establish the effectiveness of the ‘people’ strategy at ZIMBANK, that is whether ZIMBANK employees (people) were effectively trained and motivated and whether they were in a position to offer quali...
Education and FDI: An Insight from US Outflows
In modern economies the movement of capital has become more and more a key element and thereby the role of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). The literature about FDI is truly comprehensive and deepened, ranging from th...