School of Agricultural Management and Extension Technology (SAMET)
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School of Agricultural Management and Extension Technology(SAMET)
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Item Economic analysis of garri production in Ekiti State, Nigeria(2008) 12. Ojo, A.O., Amos, T.T., Ojo, M.A. and Ogaji, A.This study examined the socio-economics of gari production in Ekiti State. Data for this study were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to one hundred randomly sampled commercial gari producing enterprises from four Local Governments. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis (gross margin) and econometric method involving regression analysis. The study result revealed that gari production was dominated by females as over 90% of producers were females. About 52% of the respondents have no formal education while majority (80%) of the producers have less than 10 years production experience. Gross margin analysis revealed that gari production was a profitable venture in the study area with an average gross margin per annum of N299, 102.49. The regression analysis revealed that about 90% of the variation in the income of the producers was explained by the variables considered (R2 = 92%) The quantity of cassava tubers, quantity of fuel for transportation (litres), machine hour for grating and man-hour of labour for peeling were significant variables in gari production. The resource-use efficiency results also revealed that the quantity of cassava tubers as well as machine hour for grating were under-utilized while quantity of fuel for transportation (litres) and man-hour of labour for peeling were over-utilized. Based on the findings in this study, it is recommended that to ease the problem of smoke and heat, chimney should be constructed alongside the structures where production takes place and the structures should allow for cross ventilation. There should be adequate extension training for the producers on the effective and efficient management of their resources so as to avoid wastages. To also ease the problem of inadequate capital, producers should form cooperative societies to aid easy access to credit facilities for members.Item Agricultural farming system options for alleviating poverty in Nigeria: A case study of Niger State(International Journal of Agricultural Economics, Management and Development (IJAEMD), 2012-03) Ajayi, O. J., Ojo, M. A., Ndatsu, J. A., Ogaji, A., & Udemazue, V. N.The study examined the types of farming system adopted as well as the effect of farming systems on poverty alleviation among farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. The primary data for the study were obtained using structured questionnaire administered to eighty randomly sampled farmers from two Local Government Areas. Descriptive statistics and production function using regression model were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that young farmers of working age dominated the farming process. The regression model estimated revealed double log (Cobb Douglas) as the lead equation with the value of coefficient of determination (R) 0.8440, indicating that 84.44% of the variation in farm output was explained by the inputs included in regression model. The F-ratio estimated as 36.28 was significant at 1% level of probability. The result also showed that labour, other input costs, access to credit and farming system adopted were significant 10% while farm size was significant at 5% level of probability. It was therefore amended that extension workers should educate the farmers to enable them understand the different techniques of different farming systems in order to increase their level of productivity Moreso, Government should make agricultural inputs available at subsidized rates so that they can afford them.Item Analysis of farm level technical efficiency in maize production in Kogi State, Nigeria: A stochastic frontier approach.(Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, 2012-08) Ogaji A., Tanko, L. and Omolehin, R.A.ABSTRACT The technical efficiency, determinants of production and the sources of inefficiency in maize production in Kogi State were investigated using the stochastic translog production function which incorporates a model for inefficiency effects. Data were generated using the multi-stage random sampling techniques. A total of 240 farm households from three agricultural zones were randomly selected. Farm size and labour inputs were the major factors associated with changes in the output of maize-based production in the study area. The technical efficiency of the farmers ranges from 40.2% - 96.4 % with mean efficiency of 83.9 %. Age of the farmer, level of education, farming experience, household size, credit status and membership of co-operative societies were the factors that significantly accounted for the observed variation in efficiencies among farmers. Expansion of farm holdings, acquisition of formal education and strengthening of the existing extension services were recommended.Item ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN TOMATOES PRODUCTION IN ZARIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KADUNA STATE(2013) Ogaji, A., Odine, A. I., Adebayo, C. O., & Adewara, I. T.The study analyzed technical efficiency and its determinants in tomatoes production in Zaria, Kaduna state. The study was based on primary data collected from 120 tomato farmers by the use of multistage sampling techniques. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and the use of stochastic production frontier. The results indicate that most (70%) of the farmers were men between the ages of 31 and 50. It also showed that increase in farm size, fertilizer and seeds will lead to a considerable increase in tomato production. Furthermore, the mean technical efficiency was 0.6 and this was influenced by age, farm experience, contact with extension agents and access to credit. The study concludes that farmers can further increase their output and therefore recommends that credits should be made available to farmers and also extension agents should be encouraged to visit the farmers more often as this translates into increased efficiency.Item Marketing of agrochemicals in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria(International Journal of Marketing and Technology, 2013) Ogaji, A., Odine, A. I., Adeniji, O. B., & Ibrahim, F. D.The study examined the marketing of agrochemicals in Benue state. Primary data was collected from 60 respondents through the use of systematic sampling technique with the aid of questionnaires/and interview schedules. Data were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics and marketing margin analysis. The result indicated that the agrochemical market is dominated by males (78.3%) and they were all involved in the sales of herbicides among others. The marketing margin for herbicide, pesticide and insecticide per litre was 55.91, 40 and 39.79 respectively. The result also revealed that the marketers were inefficient as the marketing efficiency of the herbicide, pesticide and insecticide was 35%, 29% and 24% respectively. The study therefore concludes that agrochemical marketers in the study area are inefficient and thus recommends that agrochemical marketers should put in more effort since there is still room to increase their efficiency.Item ANALYSIS OF HOUSEHOLD LABOUR-USE IN YAM PRODUCTION: THE CASE OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA(Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, 2014) Ojo, A.O., Eneji, S.O., Ojo, M.A. and Ogaji, A.The study examined the analysis of household labour-use in yam production in Benue State, Nigeria. Data collection involved the use of primary data using a structured interview schedule to elicit relevant information from the yam farmers. A total of one hundred and fourteen yam farmers were randomly selected for the study. The analytical techniques used to achieve the specified objectives involved descriptive statistics and ordinary least square regression analysis. The study revealed that 74.6% of the yam farmers in the study area were male with a mean age of 43 years which was an indication that they were in their economically active age. In addition, allocation of labour varied with farming activities with 94.7% of the sampled farmers engaged both family and hired labour for their farm operations in the study area. The analysis of the determinants of household labour-use showed an R2 value of 25% while the F-value was significant at p < 0.01 which implied that the model was of good fit. Years of experience (X3) and household size (X5) were statistically significant at p < 0.01 while age (X1) and, extension contact (X4) were statistically significant at p < 0.05. This indicated that those who had contact with extension agent better used the knowledge gained to enhance production efficiency of household labour in the area. The main household labour use constraints were inadequate farm inputs and lack of relevant information. Based on these results, it is therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should sensitize the yam farmers on relevant information that would improve their productivity and efficient use of household labour in the area.Item Effect of Arable Crop Production on Poverty Status of Farmers in Niger State, Nigeria(International of Research And Innovation In Applied Science (IJRIAS), 2014-01) Ogaji, A., Sallawu, H., Bako R. U., Oseghale, A. T. and Adedokun, M.The study examined the effect of arable crop production on the poverty status of farmers in Bida local government, Niger State. Multistage sampling was employed to sample 180 respondents, Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting techniques, total factor productivity, Foster, Greer and Thorbecke and Logit Regression Model. The results indicate farmers mean age of 37 years with 69.5% having formal education, with a net income of N211,10. Seed (.0908), farm size (.0465), level of education (.0746) and income (0.5678) had direct influence on the productivity of the farmers. Based on the poverty line (₦ 4741.79), 65% of the farmer were found to be poor. Extension contact (-.8419), access to credit (-1.1989) and income (-.034) had inverse relationship with the poverty status of arable farmers. It was recommended that the farmers should form farmer cooperatives to take advantage of economics of scale for purchase of inputs.Item Determinants of crop diversification among small-scale food crop farmers in North Central Nigeria(Production Agriculture and Technology Journal, 2014-12) Ojo, M.A., Ojo, A.O., Odine A.I. and Ogaji, A.This study examines the determinants of crop diversification in among small-scale food crop farmers in North Central, Nigeria. Data used for the study were obtained from primary source using a multi-stage sampling technique with structured questionnaires administered to 300 randomly selected food crop farmers from the study area. The study uses herfindahl index to measure extent of crop diversification among the farmers in the study area while ordinary least square (OLS) regression analysis was used to determine the factors affecting crop diversification and effect of crop diversification on crop production in the study area. The study revealed the mean computed Herfindahl index values of 0.72, and 0.64 for Niger and Kogi States respectively. This impliess that Kogi State food crop farmers shifted towards more diversification cropping patterns than their counterparts in Niger State. However, the overall result in the two States combined in this study shows a mean Herfindahl index of 0.68 which implies that the food crop farmers in the study area were not too diversified in their cropping pattern. The study further revealed that farming experience, extension contact, farm size and land ownership positively and significantly affected diversification among the farmers in the study area. The results of the regression model of the effect of crop diversification on food crop production revealed that crop diversification had positive and significant effect on food crop outputs in the study area. The study therefore recommended that extension agents should create more awareness on the importance of crop diversification on the output of the farmers in the study area. This will further encourage the farmers to improve on the right selection and cultivation of different crop types on their farms which will eventually lead to increase in crop outputs and food securityItem Assessment of technical and resource-use efficiency of yam production in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria.(Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2015) Ojo, A. O., Eneji, S. O., Ojo, M. O., Adebayo, C. O., and Ogaji, A.This study analyzed the technical and resource-use efficiency of yam production in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State using Stochastic Frontier Model. Primary data were collected for one year period using structured questionnaire. The result of the summary statistics revealed an average farm size of 3.28 ha/ farmer which was an indication that they were small-scale farmers. The maximum likelihood estimates showed that planting materials, herbicides, capital inputs and fertilizers were the major determinants of the technical efficiency of the farmers in the area. The estimated coefficient of the inefficiency function revealed that sex, level of involvement in farming, membership of cooperative, extension contact and fertilizer usage reduced the technical inefficiency of the farmers. The technical efficiency indices revealed that none of the farmers operated at maximum efficiency frontier level with a mean technical efficiency of 0.638, which implied that the farmers were able to obtain about 64% of yam output from a given mix of production inputs. The result of the resource-use efficiency showed that the farmers were inefficient in the use of their resources. Based on the results, it is therefore recommended that government should organize training programmes to educate the farmers on the technical knowhow of yam production so as to improve their technical efficiency frontier level. In addition, extension agents should be engaged in training the farmers on how they can optimized the use of resources to increase their efficiency level and reduce input wastage.Item Long and short-run prize integration analysis of rice marketing in Kwara State, Nigeria(Agricultural Science Research Journal, 2015) Ojo, A.O., M.A. Ojo, A. Ogaji, A. Oseghale and R. KutigiThis study examined the long and short-run analysis of rice marketing in Kwara State, Nigeria. Time series data on the retail prices of rice were collected for a period of 60 months (2006-2010) to test for the long linear equilibrium relationship as well as the speed of price transmission between selected markets in the State. The test procedures involved the Augumented Dickey Fuller test to detect the presence of unit root in the series; Johansen co-integration test for the long run equilibrium relationship among the variables; vector error correction model test (VECM) to capture short-run and long-run changes in the price movements; and Granger casualty test to reflect the direction of influence between prices. The results revealed that stationarity in the price series was eliminated after the first differencing and that there was a stable long-run equilibrium relationship among the markets. The vector error correction estimates shows that most of the markets were not well integrated in the short –run, and finally, the causality test revealed that no single market dominated the price formation either in the rural or urban markets in the study area.Item Profitability of wetland farming. A case study of Eriti wetland in Ogun State, Nigeria(International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 2015) Odine, A. I., Ogaji, A., Ibrahim, F. D., Ojo, A. O., & Jibrin, S.This study examined the profitability of farming around Eriti wetland in Ogun State. The study was based on primary data collected by personal administration of questionnaires/interviews schedule to 80 wetland farmers selected using systematic sampling. The study respondents were asked questions that had to do with their socio-economic status such as age, educational background, gender farm size as well as production costs and returns. Data collected was analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics, budgetary techniques as well as linear programming. The results revealed that an average farmer in Eriti wetland area was a married male (60.3%) aged between 31 and 40 years (34.2%) with primary education (55.9%). The budgetary results showed that the net wetland income was N239, 694with returns on investment of N3. 63. Furthermore, the shadow price of land, labour and intermediate materials was N109, 411/ha, N164 andN6. 42 respectively implying that each additional unit of this factors put into cultivation will increase farm profit by the associated amount. The study thus concludes that farming around Eriti wetland is profitable and thus recommends that farmers should be encouraged to cultivate fruity vegetable, rice and cassava in order to maximize their profit.Item Impact of Climate Change on Soybean Production in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State(Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2016) Ibrahim, F. D., Ibrahim, P. A., Odine, A. I., Jirgi, A. J., Usman, R. K., Ogaji, A., & Gbanguba, A. U.The study employed a Ricardian Model to measure the impact of climate change on soybean production in Lapai local government area of Niger state. The study utilized time series data on climatic variables for the period 1980-2012 and primary data on socioeconomic background, production cost, yield and prices of output from 80 randomly selected farmers. Results showed that rainfall and humidity statistically affected the net revenue of soybeans at 10% and 5% levels of significance. Rainfall had a negative coefficient of-68399.5 implying that as rainfall increases, output of soybeans decreases and subsequently the net revenue reduces. The interaction variable between rainfall and temperature and humidity and temperature were significant at 1% and 5% respectively. This suggests that the interaction effects of rainfall and temperature and humidity and temperature had significant effect on the net revenue of the soybean farmers in the study area.Item MARGINAL PRODUCTIVITY OF SMALL SCALE YAM AND CASSAVA FARMERS IN KOGI STATE, NIGERIA: DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS AS A COMPLEMENT(Taraba Journal of Agricultural Research, 2016) Ojo, M.A., A.O. Ojo, A.I. Odine, and A. OgajiThe study examined marginal productivity analysis of small scale of yam and cassava farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria. Data used for the study were obtained from primary source using a multi-stage sampling technique with structured questionnaires administered to 150 randomly selected yam and cassava farmers from three Local Government Areas of the State. Descriptive statistics, data envelopment analysis and Cobb- Douglas production function were used to analyze the data. The DEA result on the overall technical efficiency of the farmers showed that 40% of the sampled yam and cassava farmers in the study area were operating at frontier and optimum level of production with mean technical efficiency of 1.00. This implies that 60% of the yam and cassava farmers in the study area can still improve on their level of efficiency through better utilization of available resources, given the current state of technology. The results of the Cobb-Douglas analysis of factors affecting the output of yam and cassava farmers showed that labour, planting materials, fertilizer and capital inputs positively and significantly affected the output of the yam and cassava farmers in the study area. The study further revealed that yam and cassava farms in the study area operated under increasing returns to scale. This result of marginal productivity analysis further showed that relatively efficient farms were more marginally productive in resource utilization. It is therefore recommended that yam and cassava farmers in the study area should form cooperative societies so as to enable them have access to productive inputs that will enable them expand. Also, since using a single equation model for production function produces a bias parameter estimates as confirmed from the study, farms should therefore be decomposed into efficient and inefficient ones before production function estimation is done.Item ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS USAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN PAIKORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA(International Journal of Agriculture and Development Studies (IJADS), 2017) Ogaji, A., Oseghale, A. I., Jibrin, S., Ibrahim, F. D., & Yusuf, A. K.The study was conducted in Paiko local government area of Niger State, Nigeria, with the objective of assessing farmers’ usage and effectiveness of information and communication technologies and also to determine respondent’s level of use of new information and communication technologies. Data were obtained through the use of questionnaire administered on 60 farmers that were randomly selected and analysed using descriptive statistics, 3- point likert scale and logit regression. The study revealed that an overwhelming majority (81.7%) of the respondent were males with an average age of 43years with formal education. Farm size and number of extension visits were the factors that influenced the use of ICT. While increase in the farm size lead to decrease in the odds of ICT usage, increase in extension visit on the other hand led to increase in the odds of ICT usage. Based on the findings of the study, it is therefore recommended that ICT facilities and training should be channeled more to the large scale farmers since they have a higher likelihood of using them.Item PROFIT EFFICIENCY OF FISH FARMERS IN KWARA STATE NIGERIA(Taraba Journal of Agricultural Research, 2017) Ogaji, A., Oseghale, A.I., Olarewaju, T.O. and Oyeyemi, E.DThe study examined profit efficiency among fish farmers in Kwara state, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the research were to examine the socio-economic characteristics of the fish farmers in the study area, estimate the cost and returns associated with fish farming, determine the profit efficiency of fish production in the study area, analyze the determinants of profit efficiency in fish production and to examine the constraints associated with fish production. Data were collected from randomly selected 60 farmers using questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting technique and stochastic profit function. The results showed that the mean age, farming experience and household size of the fish farmers were 45 years, 18 years and 8 respectively. The gross margin and net farm income were ₦838,778.34 and ₦769,945.32 respectively. Stochastic profit frontier analysis revealed foundation stock cost, pond size and capital input had a significant and positive influence on fish output. Age and membership of cooperative had positive effect on the profit inefficiency Constraints faced by the farmers in the study area included lack of electricity, polluted water and lack of government support. It was concluded that fish production was a profitable venture in the study area. The study therefore recommended that farmers should form cooperative societies so as to pull their resources together and improve their finances to enhance their production. Also, policies made by the government to encourage local production of poultry and fish should be implemented by all the agencies concerned.Item Analysis of income diversification among fish farmers in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State(Journal of Agricultural Research and Development, 2018) Ogaji, A., Adewumi, A., Ibrahim, M. and Danlami, C.D.The study examined income diversification among fish farmers in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained from 120 respondents selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Simpson index of diversity, Gini coefficient and Tobit regression model. Result showed that an average fish farmer in the area was 45 years hold and had household size of 8 persons. 86.7% of the respondents were males, 95.0% were married and 99.2% had one form of formal education or the other. The SID result obtained revealed that the fish farmers were highly diversified with diversification index of 0.8055 and that income distribution among them is relatively even with estimated Gini coefficient of 0.1955. The tobit regression result shows that the respondents’ gender at p< 0.05, age at p< 0.05, educational level at p< 0.01, marital status at p< 0.10, household size at p< 0.01, income from primary occupation at p< 0.10 and access to extension services factors at p< 0.10 were the significant determinants of income diversification among the fish farmers in Shiroro LGA of Niger State. It was recommended that income diversification through fish production in the study area can be encouraged by involving females and youth’s participation in fish production, and that further research work in the area among the fish farmers should focus on their poverty and food security status.Item Assessment of Youths participation in cassava production under the value chain development programme (VCDP) in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria(Scientific papers series management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development, 19(3), 2018) Jirgi, A.J.; Adebayo, C. O.; Abdullahi, A.; Ibrahim, F. D.; Coker, A. A. A.The study was carried out to assess youths participation in cassava production under value chain development programme (VCDP) in Bida local overnment Area of Niger State, Nigeria, with the specific objectives of describing the socio-economic characteristics of the VCDP participants, costs and returns, level of youths participation and factors influencing youth participation in the VCDP. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 100 young cassava farmers and data collected were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and probit regression analysis. The level of profitability was measured using gross margin and net farm income analysis. The results obtained shows that farmers in the study area had low formal education and were mostly married males with an average age and household size of 32 years and six (6) persons respectively. The gross margin and net farm income were N 109,050.00 and N 103,450.00 per hectare, respectively. The level of youths’ participation under the VCDP was moderate and this was influenced by their age, gender, level of education, marital status, household size, farming occupation and cooperative membership. The major constraints faced by the farmers includes: poor extension agents/farmers’ ratio, inadequate capital and lack of market linkage. To this end, it was recommended that change agents should enlighten farmers on the benefit of VCDP and functional cooperative that could facilitate credit and group dynamism.Item Effectiveness of E-Wallet Scheme in Fertilizer Distribution to Yam Farmers in Agricultural Zone II of Niger State, Nigeria(The Nigerian Journal of Agricultural extension, 19(2), 2018) Salihu, I.T.; Iko, D.S.; Jimoh, K.K.; Abdullahi, A.; Adewumi, A.Accessibility and affordability of fertilizer for agricultural production has been a challenge for small holder farmers in Nigeria. It is on this basis the study assessed the level of effectiveness of fertilizer distribution to yam farmers via E-wallet scheme in agricultural zone II of Niger State, Nigeria. Interview schedule complimented with questionnaire were used to obtain information from a total of 163 respondents. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentages, mean and ordinary least square (OLS). Farmers mean age was 36 years, majority (97.55%) were male, with an average farming experience of 21 years. There was low level of fertilizer accessibility E- wallet scheme in the area. Although farmers perceived the platform as effective in the procurement of fertilizer, they noted that it was ineffective, as distribution was untimely. OLS regression revealed that years of education, farm size, access to extension service, distance to redemption centre, cooperative society membership, years of registration, major occupation and fertilizer affordability had significant effect on the quantity of fertilizer received by farmers. The major constraints were inadequate quantity of fertilizer allocation, late supply of fertilizer and high transaction cost. The success of mobile phone use for accessing fertilizers was achieved to some extent through the subsidy scheme. It was recommended that more redemption centres should be established to reduce cost of procurement and transport of fertilizer; and that agrodealers should make proper arrangement with fertilizer companies before the cropping season to guard against late supply of fertilizers.Item Causes and perceived socio-economic implications of Rural-Rural migration on Livelihood of some selected Communities in Makwa Area of Niger State, Nigeria.(International Journal of Agriculture and Development studies, 3(1), 2018) Salihu, I.T.; Muhammed, H.U.; Abdullahi, A.; Muhammad, U. S.The diversity of the ecological features, the varying local resources and location of agricultural activities in rural areas serves the major pull factors for migration directed towards rural areas. The study assessed the causes and perceived socio economic implications of rural rural migration on the livelihood of selected communities of Mokwa area of Niger State, Nigeria. A multi stage random sampling technique was employed to select 120 migrant farmers and non migrants used for the study. The interview schedule was used to elicit information for the study. The responses were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and mean scores. The results revealed that rural rural migration is mostly undertaken by young adults within the age range of 30 50years and with low level of education. Environmental degradation factors such as infertile land (41.56%), incidences of flood (23.37%) and inadequate cultivable land (15.58%) were the major push factors causing rural out migration. While availability of cultivable fertile land (56.94%) was the major pull factor that attract migrants to the study area. The perceived socio-economic implications of the influx of migrants to the study area were increased rate of crime ( = 4.19), increased political unrest ( = 3.79), high level of sexual promiscuity ( = 3.64), introduction of new diseases ( = 3.31), and increased level of agricultural production ( = 3.27). The major problems encountered by the migrants in the study area were inaccessibility to infrastructural facilities (28.57%), insecurity (25.28%) and difficulty in land acquisition (20.88%). The study recommended that there is need to strengthen awareness campaigns and redirection of policies that can check poor land utilization and unsustainable agricultural practices in rural areas to curb the menace of out migration.Item EFFECT OF MICROFINANCE BANK CREDIT ON OUTPUT OF ARABLE CROP FARMERS IN MINNA METROPOLIS, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA(International Journal of Agriculture and Development Studies (IJADS), 2019) Ogaji, A., Oseghale, A. I., Ibrahim, F. D., Jibrin, S., & Ewesami, W.This study was carried out to examine the effect of microfinance banks’ credit on output of arable crop farmers in Minna Metropolis, Niger State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of arable crop farmers (users and non-users of Microfinance Bank Credit), examined the effect of microfinance banks’ credit on arable crop production, identify the major constraints associated with microfinance banks’ credit. 60 users and 60 non-users of microfinance banks credit were selected for the survey through a multi-stage sampling procedure making a total of 120 respondents. The sample was drawn from two microfinance bank namely Endwell microfinance bank and LAPO microfinance bank. Primary data were obtained using questionnaires administered to the respondent. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses. The result showed that 38% of the respondents were between the ages of 31 and 40 years, 75% were male, 53% had farming experience of between 11 and 20 years, 58% had family size of 1-5 persons and 88% had formal education at various levels. The result of the regression analysis showed that farm size (P<0.01), amount of credit received (P<0.01) seeds (P<0.01) and farming experience (P<0.10) were the factors that influenced output positively while education influenced output negatively. Also, the study identified bureaucratic procedure in accessing the loan, high interest rate and distance to microfinance among others as the most pressing constraints encountered by respondents in accessing the loan. Thus, the study recommended that farmers should apply for microfinance credit through cooperative societies to enhance easy access.
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