Entrepreneurship and Palm Oil Production in Orashi Region, Rivers State Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated entrepreneurship and Palm Oil Production in Orashi Land, Rivers State Nigeria. It used adopted the correlational and qualitative research design. A total of 20000 which consisted of oil palm entrepreneurs, stake holders in the Orashi Local Government Areas of Rivers State, including Abua Odua, Ogba/Egbeme/Ndonil, Ahoada East and Ahoada West formed bulk of the study group. The study used Nvivo to analyse the interviews conducted within the focus group. The Stratified Random Sampling technique was used. The approach adopted 300 respondents from each of the four local government areas in Orashi area in Rivers State totalling 1,200. The study used questionnaire instrument to obOgba/Egbeme/Ndonin data from respondents which formed the the analysis of the study. They were divided into subgroups (strata) based on specific characteristics (age, gender), and a random sample is taken from each subgroup will be used. The mean benchmark is from the range of 3.5 - above Very High Extent (VHE), 2.5 - 3.49, High Extent (HE), 2.00 - 2.39, Low Extent (LE), 1.00 - 1.99, Very Low Extent (VLE), Out of 1200 copies of questionnaire distributed, 900 representing 92% were duly completed and returned which the study used for its analysis. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation at mean bench-marck of 2.5 while the null hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) at 0.5 significant level.The study investigated palm oil production and entrepreneurship in Orashi, Rivers State. The study concluded that palm oil production or business in Orashi is a major fetcher of self-employment in the region. It equals serves as a major household economic main stay. Palm oil business contributes to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the people of Orashi and in turn, Rivers State, Nigeria. Palm oil business should be enhanced to enender a more robust economy in the Orashi nation. The largely subsistence farming of oil palm has only marginally improved the livelihood of the people of Orashi. It recommended among others that the stakeholders of palm oil production in Orashi should seek government partnership for a sophistication processing.