Rural entrepreneurship and poverty reduction in the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): a gender-based analysis

Abstract

This article examines the impact of non-farm enterprise creation on poverty reduction in WAEMU countries, focusing on gender disparities. Using an endogenous switching regression model and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition on 2018-2019 EHCVM micro-data (45,194 rural households), findings show men’s average consumption expenditure is 15.3% higher than women’s. Poverty reduction probabilities are 79% for men and 73.53% for women, with a 5.47% gender gap favoring men. Married women have 5.79% higher consumption expenditure than unmarried women, indicating married individuals create more profitable enterprises. Key factors include education, land ownership, financial access, and extension services.