ACCESS TO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FUND PRODUCTS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CULTURE IN RWANDA A CASE STUDY OF MAIZE PROCESSING IN NYABIHU DISTRICT

Abstract

This research study entitled “the project development fund and entrepreneurship culture in” A case study of maize processing in Nyabihu district intends to assess the role of project development fund on entrepreneurial culture in Rwanda A case study of maize processing in Nyabihu district; the main objective of this study is to assess the role of maize processing in Nyabihu district. The interval period of this study ranges between the years 2013-2017. The researcher used both primary and secondary data sources in this research. Primary data were collected with the use of questionnaires and interviews guides addressed to the sampled population or the staff of Business development fund and the staff of maize processing company in Nyabihu district. The data processing, tabulation and editing done with the use of SPSS version 20 and Ms excel. The targeted population of this study was equal to 152 persons made of 80 employees of business development fund and 72 customers of business development fund and the sample population of this study is equal to 60 respondents selected using purposive sampling technique used for the staff of Business Development Fund and its clients since the researcher chose the population assumed to give reliable information related to the study. The findings of this study was of much significance to the researcher as this helped him to understand the role of project development funds on entrepreneurial culture in Rwanda, to the institutions of higher learning since the findings from this research study was added to the existing resource of university , to other researchers as the findings of this study helped other researchers interested in this area to have the relevant literature on project development fund and its impact on entrepreneurial culture in Rwanda, many respondents have the income of above Rwf 30,000 with 45% of all respondents. Others have the income between Rwf 20,000 – Rwf 30,000 with 38.3% of the respondents. And finally small proportion is the respondents who have the income of 16.7%. This level of the income shows that many beneficiaries of Maize processing project have the entrepreneurship mind of growing your business. By looking table 11 it shows that 25.0% of respondents said that credit guarantee program of BDF is excellent, 56.7% said that credit guarantee program of BDF is Good, and finally 18.3% t said that credit guarantee program of BDF is fair. According to this percentage above show that credit guarantee program of BDF is very important to the Maize processing project beneficiaries. According to the table 13 about the barriers of increase entrepreneurship minds in the people shows that 53.3% of respondents reported that lack of investment opportunity is many barrier of increasing of the entrepreneurship minds, 28.3% of respondents said that lack of seed set up capital is the barrier of the entrepreneurship mind, and finally 18.3% of respondents said that the barrier of increasing of entrepreneurship mind is lack of role model and entrepreneurship culture. Therefore, in general, it has been observed that lack of capital is the challenges to entrepreneurship. According to the findings from the present study, the researcher recommends BDF management that it should increase the level of awareness for its services in order to enhance its strong relationship between their clients and activities.