Author:
Babit Gilbert Foncham

Doi: 10.26480/fabm.02.2025.58.63

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Agribusiness entrepreneurship has emerged as a vital avenue for job creation and sustainable development. Despite growing attention to this sector, small and micro agribusiness enterprises in Yaoundé continue to face numerous challenges that hinder their development. This study aimed to investigate the socio-economic factors affecting entrepreneurship development in these enterprises. Primary data were collected from 120 purposively selected agribusiness owners and managers across nine major markets in Yaoundé using semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyse the data. The results revealed that most agribusiness entrepreneurs were male (73.3%), married (71.6%), and members of cooperatives (85%), with a significant number possessing secondary education and operating businesses valued between 1 and 2 million FCFA. Motivation to enter agribusiness was largely driven by unemployment (56.2%). Key factors influencing entrepreneurship development included economic variables such as price stabilization and income satisfaction, alongside social, cultural, and managerial factors like group collaboration, benefit-sharing, and support from family and community. Regression analysis indicated that age, gender, marital status, and business size had positive effects on entrepreneurship development, whereas large family size and non-agribusiness occupations were negatively associated. The study concludes that while agribusiness remains a critical sector for economic empowerment, its development is influenced by both individual and structural socio-economic factors. It recommends the implementation of inclusive entrepreneurship policies, improved access to credit, and the integration of modern entrepreneurial training programs to enhance agribusiness performance and sustainability in Yaoundé.