Driving local community transformation through participatory rural entrepreneurship development
| Date | 11 May 2015 |
| Published date | 11 May 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-06-2014-0016 |
| Pages | 131-139 |
| Author | Oluwatoyin Dare Kolawole,Kehinde Ajila |
| Subject Matter | Strategy,Business ethics,Sustainability |
Driving local community
transformation through
participatory rural
entrepreneurship development
Oluwatoyin Dare Kolawole
Okavango Research Institute, University of Botswana, Maun, Botswana, and
Kehinde Ajila
Department of Family Nutrition and Consumer Sciences,
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose –Rural entrepreneurship development and employment generation are fundamental to
enhancing local-level progres s and transformation. Achievin g gainful employment in rural
communities contributes immensely to the realisation of the potential of people living in remote
communities. The purpose of this paper is to present a ten-stage practical approach for enhancing rural
entrepreneurship development as a major driver of local community transformation and development.
Design/methodology/approach –The action research was preceded by a preliminary study, which
identified some crucial factors associated with the success of rural entrepreneurial activities in rural
Lagos, Nigeria. The research, which is an offshoot of the earlier field survey, was designed to engage
viable community-based organisations (CBOs) in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Lekki communities for
the implementation of context-specific rural entrepreneurship development projects through the
provision of “non-serviceable”revolving loans.
Findings –Successful funded rural entrepreneurs and CBOs served as veritable models for driving
entrepreneurship development and employment promotion in rural Lagos, Nigeria. Projects funded
included artisanal fisheries, barbering salons, piggeries and snail production.
Practical implications –The projects which generated employment opportunities for rural youths
and other able-bodied community members serve as a strategy for lifting people out of poverty.
The action research was designed to inform rural development policy in Nigeria and other similar
economies in the south.
Originality/value –The study outlines a step-by-step process of entrepreneurship development
project implementation.
Keywords Nigeria, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Rural development, CBOs, Revolving loans
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Rural development is primarily concerned with strategies aimed at improving the
quality of lives of people resident in relatively remote and sparsely populated
communities. Indeed, entrepreneurship development and employment generation
provide a vital platform for enhancing rural livelihoods. Sustainable rural development
is thus achieved where and when unemployment and poverty situations are alleviated
through context-specific and ecologically sound community level initiatives.
World Journal of
Entrepreneurship, Management
and Sustainable Development
Vol. 11 No. 2, 2015
pp. 131-139
©Emerald Group Publis hing Limited
2042-5961
DOI10.1108/WJEMSD-06-2014-0016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2042-5961.htm
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Centre for Rural Development (CERUD), Lagos, Nigeria
for the funding provided in carrying out the preliminary studies from which this paper drew its
methodology. A shorter earlier draft of this paper has previously been published in the Nigerian
Journal of Rural Sociology.
131
Driving local
community
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