Factors influencing promotion of rural entrepreneurship in Tanzania: a case study of Iringa rural district.

The study titled, "Factors Influencing Promotion of Rural Entrepreneurship in Tanzania: A case Study of Iringa rural District, investigated the existing opportunities towards promoting rural entrepreneurship in Tanzania. The study investigated factors that affect the entrepreneurial activities in Iringa rural district and contribution of entrepreneurship in income generation in Iringa rural households. The sample included a cooperative and business officer from Iringa rural district, six community development officers (CDO's), four wards and village executive officers and twenty small businessmen and women, ten people dealing with crop production and ten who engaged in livestock commodities. Also, three loan officers from Iringa Rural District were involved (NMB, FINCA, NBC). Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaire. The study revealed that entrepreneurial activities in Iringa rural District are not promising despite the existence of many resources, which could be utilized, and the presence of large population which, is a source of manpower and market. Even though there were entrepreneurial activities being carried out in the district, their levels were low due to many factors that mitigated against positive rural entrepreneurship development. These included poor entrepreneurial skills, poor rural infrastructures (electricity, roads), lack of capital, exploitation by middlemen, and absence of markets for rural commodities. The study recommended that there must be entrepreneurial skills, both internal and external markets for rural commodities, extension of financial services in rural areas, improvement of rural infrastructures, particularly electricity, and abolition of exploitation by middlemen in rural areas. Furthermore, the study proposed the way forward in order to promote rural entrepreneurship in Tanzania.