Youth Empowerment in Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) of Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria

In African emerging markets (AEMs), the prevailing notions of social responsibility (SR) are based chiefly on Western ethics. Even discussions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have, more often than not, been couched in the similar manner. Consequently, the field of CSR in AEMs is largely unaware of Setho ethics that for it are germane as a basis for thinking and talking about SR. In this chapter, the author proposes Setho ethics rooted in Botho, which sees the communal, interdependence and interrelatedness of beings, as an alternative vision of CSR in AEMs. In fact, people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) see themselves in a symbiotic relationship with society, a point well-articulated by Mbiti (1969, p. 24) thus, “I am because you are, and since we are, therefore I am”. This African view through the Setho ethics lenses generates a different notion of an ideal SR of business to society worth illuminating in the CSR discourse today.

Download Full-text

Corporate social responsibility mandates within German multinational enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa

European J of International Management ◽

10.1504/ejim.2016.079517 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 624

Author(s):

Anne Morgenroth ◽

John M. Luiz

Keyword(s):

Corporate Social Responsibility ◽

Social Responsibility ◽

Multinational Enterprises ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Corporate Social

Download Full-text

Youth empowerment in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) of sub-Saharan Africa: the role of corporate social responsibility in Niger Delta, Nigeria

Journal of Enterprising Communities People and Places in the Global Economy ◽

10.1108/jec-08-2017-0066 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 729-752 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji ◽

Elda Nduka Okolo-Obasi

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Forest Products ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Sustainable Livelihood ◽

Content Type ◽

Non Timber Forest Products ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Corporate Social ◽

Research Assistants

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the multinational oil companies’ (MOCs’) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in Nigeria. Its special focus is to investigate the impact of Global Memorandum of Understandings (GMOUs) on rural young people involved in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for sustainable livelihood in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from primary sources, using participatory rural appraisal technique of semi-structured interview questionnaire. The use of participatory research techniques in collecting CSR impact data especially as it concerns the rural young people is because it involves the people being studied, and their views on all the issues are paramount. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Inferential statistical tool – estimation of logit model was used to test the two research hypothesis. Findings The results indicate that GMoUs have not given adequate attention to young people as a special target sub-group who live in rural areas and depend mostly on NTFPs. Results also show that a number of factors hindering rural young people from the use and development of NTFPs include a policy vacuum, non-destructive harvesting, and destruction of natural habitats, bushfires, population growths and high demands. Research limitations/implications The semi-structured interview questionnaire was directly administered by the researchers with the help of research assistants. The use of local research assistants was because of the inability of the researchers to speak the different local languages and dialects of the many ethnic groups of Ijaws, Ogonis, Ikweres, Etches, Ekpeyes, Ogbas, Engennes, Obolos, Isokos, Nembes, Okirikas, Kalabaris, Urhobos, Iteskiris, Igbos, Ika-Igbos, Ndonis, Orons, Ibenos, Yorubas, Ibibios, Anangs, Efiks, Bekwarras, Binis, Eshans, Etsakos, Owans, Itigidis, Epies, Akokoedos, Yakkurs, etc., in the sampled rural communities. Practical implications An appropriate GMoU-intervention framework for sustainable promotion of NTFPs, domestication of NFTPs, improving harvesting and processing techniques are necessary to facilitate good security, reduction of poverty and improved livelihoods, particularly for the economically-marginalized and forest-dependent rural young people is imperative. Social implications Sustainable livelihoods of the forest-dependent rural young people in sub-Saharan Africa would require some focussed CSR interventions on the NTFPs for sustainable livelihood. Facilities pertaining to storage, grading, processing and value addition through the convergence of existing schemes and programmes should be promoted and created. MOCs are in a position to empower the rural young people with information about the market, policy and products to enable the rural people strategizing and accessing returns from NTFPs in sub-Saharan Africa. Originality/value This research adds to the literature on multinational enterprises’ CSR initiatives in developing countries and rationale for demands for social projects by host communities. It concludes that business has an obligation to help in solving problems of sustainable livelihood.

Download Full-text