Assessing Rural Women Entrepreneurial Traits in Rural Household-Based Enterprises in Katsina State, Nigeria.

Abstract:

The study was designed to assess rural women entrepreneurial traits/skills possessions in household-based enterprises in Katsina state, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted and 216 rural entrepreneurs were sampled from the population of registered rural women entrepreneurs in the state using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected on the socioeconomic characteristics, involvement in rural household-based enterprises, benefits derived and traits/skills possessed using structured interview guide. Frequency counts, percentages, means, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were employed in data analysis. The study revealed that majority were young, married, low income earners, Muslims, had Quranic education, and appreciable years of experience. Levels of involvement, benefits derived, and traits/skills possessions were high. On the other hand, scale of access to intervention was low. Whereas, entrepreneurs’ levels of traits/skills possessions differ significantly among senatorial districts; age, marital status, years of experience, educational attainment, benefit derived and monthly income did not significantly determine the scale of household-based enterprise traits/skills possession by rural women entrepreneurs. It is concluded that high level of benefit derived existed regardless respondents’ low levels of intervention access and relevant operational traits/skills. Government should provide complimentary assistance by institutionalizing policy framework that will targets rural women entrepreneurial capacity building programmes on business management and sustainability.