A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE RICE MILLING ENTERPRISES' CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This comparative analysis of micro, small and medium scale rice milling enterprises' contributions to economic development surveyed micro, small and medium scale rice milling enterprises in Nasarawa State. The major objectives were to evaluate their impacts on employment generation, income and poverty reduction in the study area. This study adopted descriptive and quantitative methods, using questionnaires, percentages and graphic analysis. The Structural Equations Model (SEM) was also employed in the analysis. The results showed that micro scale rice milling enterprises contributed to employment generation by 20% and to income generation by 24%, while the small scale rice milling enterprises contributed to employment generation, income generation and poverty reduction by 83%, 8.3% and 4.2%, respectively. The analysis, therefore, concluded that micro scale rice milling enterprises contributed more to income generation than small scale rice milling enterprises in Nasarawa state, while small scale rice milling enterprises contributed more to employment generation and poverty reduction than micro scale rice milling enterprises in Nasarawa state. Therefore, government policies towards income generation should target micro scale enterprises to reduce income inequality, while small and medium scale enterprises should be supported when the focus is employment generation and poverty reduction in the economy.