Obstacles and perspectives

Chapter 6 analyses the functional and institutional obstacles encountered by West African entrepreneurs. It presents two points of view: that of the actors in the rice value chain between Benin, Niger and Nigeria, and that of the decision makers that form the governance network linked to the economic promotion of women in the region. According to actors in the supply chain, illegal payments demanded at the border and excessive or unjust taxes are the largest obstacles that constrain commercial activities. Local entrepreneurs want more investment in the physical infrastructure of markets, transportation and policies to ease access to credit. Women are proportionally more likely to complain about the poor condition or lack of commercial infrastructure than men. From the perspective of policy makers and gender specialists, the principal obstacles arrayed against women entrepreneurs relate to education, financial services, cultural norms, property and the judicial system. This chapter presents four strategies based on social networks that could help accelerate social change and increase the effectiveness of organisations, two areas that are particularly relevant to the women entrepreneurs of West Africa.