ABSTRACT
In the last two decades, transmigrants from Edo State, Nigeria, have being involved in a steady repatriation and remittance of capital resources crucial to the economic development of the state. In furtherance of self interest, transmigrants have being investing directly in enterprises in which they have some experience. However, what is not clear is the extent to which the agriculturalsector has benefited from these investments. This study provided answers to the following questions: What is the likelihood that transmigrants of Edo State origin would invest in agricultural enterprises? What is the attitude of Edo State transmigrants’ towards investing in agricultural enterprises? Which normative beliefs would influence their willingness to invest in agricultural enterprises? What control beliefs would influence their willingness to invest in agricultural enterprises? Are their aspirations related to the willingness to invest? What demographic factors would influence their willingness to invest in agricultural enterprises?
To achieve the objectives of this study, a survey research was designed. A questionnaire which was constructed in line with the Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to elicit responses from 300 Edo State transmigrants based in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Distribution of the instrument to respondents was achieved through e-mail snowballing. Data analysis was done using logistic regression technique.
Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study successfully predicted that intention to invest is high and positive. Among the three components of the theory, positive attitude of transmigrants towards investing is the most significant determinant of intention followed by pressures from important others and then the control they perceivably have over factors that can impede their intentions. The odds of intention increasing, is higher due to controllability than for self efficacy.Gender, marriage, age, highest educational qualification, depth of managerial experience, breadth of managerial experience and location significantly improved the predictive power of the model. We found that males, transmigrants with a degree or qualification related to agriculture, those who resided in rural Nigeria before migrating abroad and transmigrants who reside in the USA are less likely to invest in agricultural enterprises. Also transmigrants who are married, less than 30 years old and who are well educated are more likely to undertake enterprise activity in agriculture.We recommend that the Edo ADP should institute behaviour modification programmes emphasizing value orientation and directed at transmigrants and remittance receivers. The ADP should consider promoting urban and peri-urban agriculture as viable options to investing in rural areas. On its part, the federal government should consider granting incentives such as commissions on remittances that are transferred into the country for investment in the development of value added agricultural enterprises.
