The Artisans: Livelihood Sustainability in the Context of Handicraft Micro and Small Enterprises in Moshi Tanzania
- January 5, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue XII, December 2018 | ISSN 2454–6186
Isaac Kazungu1,*, Julieth Njau2
1,2Moshi Co-operative University, P.O.Box 474, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
*Corresponding author
Abstract:-This study analyses the contribution of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) on sustainable livelihoods of the people, taking handicraft MSEs in Moshi Tanzania as a case in point. Specifically, it focused on determining the impact of handicrafts MSEs’ income on household health status, education, food safety shelter and assets ownership as the livelihood outcomes. 50 operators were identified by the use the stratified random sampling technique and studied. We applied a triangulation of questionnaire, interviews and library search. Pearson’s Product Moment correlation coefficient (r) and ANOVA were used to test the strength and significamce of the relationship between variables of the study, while hypothesis was tested by using P-value. Handicrafts MSEs income was found to have a positive and significant relationship with livelihood outcomes. Institutional problems on business premises, registration and infrastructure, marketing information and financial access were also the outcomes of this study. It is concluded that handicraft MSEs are essential contributors of sustainable livelihoods and thus there is a need to improve their operating environment. We recommend improvement in business infrastructure, market information, business development services, and taking up of business accreditation schemes for the development of the handicrafts industry.
Key words: MSEs, Sustainable Livelihoods, Handicraft Enterprises and Moshi Tanzania
I. INTRODUCTION
The Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) are among the major driving forces of socio-economic development worldwide (Kazungu, Ndiege, Mchopa and Moshi, 2014). This is unquestionably a case of Tanzania where it is estimated that one-third of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originates from this sector (Mbura, 2007). The sector is labour intensive and creates employment at a relative low level of investment per job (Massawe, 2000) with about 1.7 million businesses (Informal sector survey, 1991) and engage 3-4 million people, which is 20-30% of the country’s total labour force (Kazungu, Ndiege, and Matolo, 2013) and (Richardson and Rhona, 2004).
