Small and Medium Bamboo and Rattan Enterprises in Economic Empowerment in Kumasi: Perspectives of Producers

In an increasingly business-oriented, cash-based city like Kumasi, people need access to cash income so as to maintain their businesses and families. Kumasi as the commercial hub of Ghana can boast of a number of scattered bamboo/rattan products producers. The employment dynamism of the bamboo/rattan Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is very high and can lead to substantial poverty reduction to enhance the economic capacities of the craftsmen involved in the business. The objective of the study was to assess the economic potential of small and medium bamboo/rattan enterprises in terms of contributions to livelihood incomes and alleviating poverty of bamboo and rattan craftsmen in the Kumasi metropolis. A survey design approach was adopted, based on a purposive and snowball sampling techniques. A final sample of thirty-one participated in the study. Primary data were obtained through observations, personal interviews and structured questionnaire. The study established among others that bamboo/rattan SMEs have huge potentials to increase household livelihood incomes by way of direct employment for the craftsmen. The study also established that the bamboo/rattan SMEs was a middle income providing business whiles their products were also of high durability. The study concluded that the bamboo/rattan SMEs are sustainable in terms of generating income and creating employment for the craftsmen and their dependants to alleviate them from the mighty hands of poverty. Bamboo and rattan products can be a good source of income both for the country and for all those who are involved in the related business of bamboo/rattan items production. It is therefore imperative for the state to formulate more policies for the development of the bamboo and rattan sector in the country.