Does agri-business/small and medium enterprise investment scheme (AGSMEIS) impact on youth entrepreneurship development in sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from Nigeria

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the agri-business/small and medium investment schemes (AGSMEIS) in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the AGSMEIS on youth entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopts a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population, as it is essentially crosssectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 1,200 respondents were sampled across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Findings - The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching (PSM) and logit model indicate that AGSMEIS initiative generates significance gains in empowering youths in enterprise development, and if enhanced will help many young people become entrepreneurs. Practical implications - This suggests that AGSMEIS initiative can facilitate youth's access to credit and help them become owners of small and medium enterprises. Social implications - It implies that investing in young people for small and medium enterprises could bring Nigeria into the modern economy and lift sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty. Originality/value - This research adds to the literature on youth entrepreneurship development's debate in developing countries. It concludes that targeting the young people in AGSMEIS should form the foundation of public policy for entrepreneurship, poverty alleviation, and economic development

Does corporate social responsibility (CSR) impact on development of women in small-scale fisheries of sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from coastal communities of Niger Delta in Nigeria

While women are often key actors in fisheries, they are commonly excluded from making fisheries management decisions, often due to cultural norms. The objective of this investigation is to assess the impact of a new CSR model of multinational oil companies (MOCs) on development of women in small-scale fisheries in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A total of eight hundred artisanal fisherwomen were sampled across the coastal communities of Niger Delta. Results from the use of logit model indicate that artisanal fisherwomen have remained widely excluded from the General Memorandum of Understandings (GMoUs) interventions in small-scale fisheries due to cultural norms of the people. This implies that if the cultural norms of the Niger Delta communities continue to restrain direct participation of the artisanal fisherwomen from GMoUs ' intervention, achieving gender equity and cultural change would be limited in the region. The findings suggest that since fisheries, which is the traditional source of livelihood of the people are no longer viable and have significant ly declined due to environmental oil degradation, GMoUs ' intervention structure could focus on women playing key roles in fisheries management and conservation decision in Niger Delta region of Nigeria

Gender and Food Security in Nigeria: the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Oil Producing Communities

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies' (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on gender and food security in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This paper adopts a survey research technique aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population. A total of 800 women respondents were sampled across the rural areas of the Niger Delta region. It is essentially cross-sectional: describing and interpreting the current situation. The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching (PSM) and logit model indicate that CSR interventions of the MOCs using GMoUs have contributed in empowering women to effectively discharge their role in food and nutritional security. This is achieved by enhancing coherence in policies on gender, agriculture, nutrition, health, trade and other relevant areas in the Niger Delta. The findings also show that CSR intervention of MOCs supported ecological sound approaches to food production, such as agro-ecology that promotes sustainable farming and women's empowerment in the region. This suggests that recognizing and respecting the local knowledge of farmers, including women farmers, will help develop locally relevant food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. This implies that promoting the implementation of everybody's right to food, particular that of women, as well as giving women rights to other resources like land, in addition to engaging women and men in challenging the inequitable distribution of food within the household will help strengthen food security in Africa. This research contributes to the gender debate in agriculture from a CSR perspective in developing countries and serves as a basis for the host communities to demand for social projects. It concludes that corporate establishments have an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern

The Impact of CSR on Rural Women Custodians of Seed, Food and Climate Change Resilience in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies' (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on development of enterprising rural women as custodians of seed, food and traditional knowledge for climate change resilience in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopts a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population, as it is essentially cross-sectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 768 rural women respondents were sampled across the rural areas of the Niger Delta region in Nigeria. Findings - The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model indicated that the meagre interventions of MOCs' CSR targeted at the empowerment of rural women in custodians of seed, food and traditional knowledge for climate change resilience recorded significant success in improving the role of women in agricultural production, especially in women involvement across value chains. Practical implications - This suggests that any increase in the MOCs' CSR targeted at increasing rural women's access to seed preservation facilities, food processing facilities, extension system that impact strong body of knowledge and expertise that can be used in climate change mitigation, disaster reduction and adaptation strategies, will enhance women's responsibilities in households and communities, stewards of natural and household resources, and will position them well to contribute to livelihood strategies adapted to changing environmental realities. Social implications - This implies that MOCs' GMoUs' policies and practices should enhance women's participation; value and recognise women's knowledge; and enable women, as well as men farmers to participate in decision-making process in agriculture, food production, land and governance; as women need to be acknowledged and supported, as the primary producers of food in the region, able to both cultivate healthy food and climate change resilience through small scale agro-ecological farming system. Originality/value - This research contributes to gender debate in agriculture from a CSR perspective in developing countries and rational for demands for social projects by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern

Building social capital through rural women's groups: The role of corporate social responsibility in oil host communities

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives implemented by multinational oil companies (MOCs) in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on closing the social capital, through enterprising rural women's groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopted a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population. Itwas essentially crosssectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 800women respondents were sampled across the rural areas of the Niger Delta region. Findings - The results from the logistic regression model indicate that CSR of the MOCs using the GMoU model has recorded little but significant success in improving women's participation in the socio-economic activities of the region. The results also demonstratethat women's groups and other forms of collective actions can be effective in building social capital and addressing gender gaps in other areas as well, through reducing transactions cost, pooling risks, developing skills, and building confidence. Practical implications - The result suggests that building women's social capital can be an effective way to improve information exchange and resource allocation, pool risks, and ensure that women's voices are heard in decision-making at all levels. Additionally, it proposes that community-based organizations including cluster development boards (CDBs) and women's groupscan be useful for generating social capital. Social implications - The result implies that women's groups that serve as production cooperatives, savings associations, and marketing groupscan boost production and help women in maintaining control over the additional income they earn. It also indicates that achieving scale through pooling resources can help women in overcoming some of the constraints experiencedby individual farmers. Originality/value - This research contributes to the gender discourse in social capitalfrom a CSR perspective in developing countries and the rationale for host communities' desires for social projects. It concludes that businessesmust assist in solving public-interest challenges

Gender sensitive responses to climate change in Nigeria: The role of multinationals' corporate social responsibility in oil host communities

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on gender sensitive responses to climate change in oil host communities in Nigeria. This paper adopts a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population, as it is essentially cross-sectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 1200 rural women were sampled across the Niger Delta region. The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model indicate a significant relationship between GMoU model and women, gender and climate change in the Niger Delta Nigeria. This implies that CSR of a multinational oil companies is a critical factor in the need for gender sensitive responses to the effect of climate change. It suggests that, for adaptation to climate change effects, understanding gender dimensions and taking gender responsive steps be incorporated into GMoU policies and action plans of multinational enterprises. This research contributes to gender debate in climate change from a CSR perspective in developing countries and rationale for demands for social projects by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern

Gender inequalities in rural labour markets: The role of corporate social responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies' (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on women's involvement in rural labour market in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - This paper adopts a survey research technique, aimed at gathering information from a representative sample of the population, as it is essentially crosssectional, describing and interpreting the current situation. A total of 768 respondents were sampled across the rural areas of the Niger Delta region. Findings - The results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model indicate that CSR of the MOCs using GMoU model has recorded little but significant success in improving women's participation in the labour market by freeing women's time through labour-saving technologies and the provision of public services, raising women's capital through education, eliminating discriminatory employment practices and capitalizing on public works programmes. Practical implications -This suggest that the underlining causes of gender inequality in rural labour markets are institutional, including both social norms and the structure of labour market organizations; and can be holistically tackled through corporate social responsibility programmes, government policies, and building the strength of women in labour organizations. Social implications - This implies that reducing rural poverty requires not just the barriers to women's participation in decent employment, but aiming for a policy that helps to change people's perceptions of what is possible, beneficial, and fair; fosters cooperative action; and strengthens women's bargaining power in the work place, the home, and the market place. Originality/value - This research contributes to the gender debate in agriculture from a CSR perspective in developing countries and rationale for demands for social project by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern

Gender equity and land: The role of corporate social responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria

We examine the impact of multinationals oil companies' (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) on enhancing land rights for rural women. A total of 1,200 women were sampled across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Results from the use of a combined propensity score matching and logit model show that MOCs' CSR using global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) model recorded significant success in various policy mechanisms to improve gender equality in land access. The linkages include joint-titling modalities, land leasing, land use certificate issuances, community and territorial land delimitation interventions for both agricultural production and security in Nigeria's oil host communities

Corporate social responsibility initiatives in Nigeria and rural women livestock keepers in oil host communities

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies' (MOCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of the global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) on rural women livestock keepers in the oil producing communities. Design/methodology/approach - This paper employs a quantitative methodology. Data were collected from primary sources using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) technique. The use of participatory research technique in collecting CSR impact data especially as it concerns the small-scale women livestock keeper is based on the fact that it involves the people being studied, and their views on all the issues are paramount. The primary tool used for household survey (collection of the primary data) is a structured questionnaire which is divided into two sections. Section one of the instrument elicited information on the socio-economic characteristics of respondent, while the other section elicited information on the research questions. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data so as to answer the research questions and test the hypothesis. To answer the research questions, descriptive statistics of measurement of central tendency was used, and the results were presented in tables and charts. While in testing the hypothesis, inferential statistical tool-estimation of logit model (of receipt and non-receipt of MOCs CSR through the GMoU by rural women livestock keepers as function of selected socio-economic and domestic empowerment variables) was used. Findings − The findings shows that GMoU model is gender insensitive as rural women rarely have direct access to livestock interventions except through their husband or adult sons; which is attributed to the cultural and traditional context of the people, anchored in beliefs, norms and practices that breed discrimination and gender gap in the rural societies. Research limitations/implications - The structured questionnaire was directly administered by the researchers with the help of local research assistants. The use of local research assistants was because of the inability of the researchers to speak the different local languages and dialects of the many ethnic groups of Ijaws, Ogonis, Ikweres, Etches, Ekpeyes, Ogbas, Engennes, Obolos, Isokos, Nembes, Okirikas, Kalabaris, Urhobos, Iteskiris, Igbos, Ika-Igbos, Ndonis, Orons, Ibenos, Yorubas, Ibibios, Anangs, Efiks, Bekwarras, Binis, Eshans, Etsakos, Owans, Itigidis, Epies, Akokoedos, Yakkurs, etc, in the sampled rural communities. Practical implication − If the rural women do not feel GMoUs efforts to eliminate discrimination and promote equality in the livestock sector, feminized poverty would create a hostile environment for MOCs in the region. Social implication - The livestock development in Nigeria can only succeed if CSR is able to draw on all the resources and talents, and if rural women are able to participate fully in the GMoUs intervention plans and programmes. Originality/value − This research contributes to gender debate in livestock keeping from CSR perspectives in developing countries and rational for demands for social projects by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of public concern, and that CSR priorities in Africa should be aimed towards addressing the peculiarity of the socio-economic development challenges of the country and be informed by socio-cultural influences

Young rural women participation in the e-wallet programme and usage intensity of modern agricultural inputs in Nigeria

We assess the extent young rural women (YRW) participate in the federal government (FGN)e- wallet programme and the subsequent impact on usage intensity of modern agricultural inputs in Nigeria. Six hundred YRW were sampled across six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Using double- hurdle, results show that YRW rarely participate in the e-wallet programme due to the cultural and traditional context which is anchored in beliefs, norms and practices that breed discrimination and feminized poverty. This implies that Nigeria's agricultural transformation agenda would only succeed if the FGN is able to draw on all its resources and talents, and if the YRW can be able to participate fully in the e-wallet programme. This will require intensified efforts to eliminate discrimination and promote equalities. To bridge the gender gap, the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development should pay close attention to the extent the participation of unmarried girls and young women, including nursing mothers in the e-wallet programme, may be limited by the cultural and/or domestic and child care duties. The findings suggest that FGN should discourage gender disparities in unequal access to agricultural inputs and pervasive, inequality, especially over ownership of agricultural land that limit women's contribution to household food baskets