Analysis of rice farmers access to agricultural credit and profitability in South Togo

Abstract

Purpose- Access to suitable production means is required for producers to improve their profitability. As a result, agricultural financing appears to be a critical tool for attaining this goal. Various programs and donors have been attempting for decades to put together initiatives that would make it easier for the most disadvantaged populations, including the primarily agricultural rural world, to access sources of financing. Due to poor performance, the majority of these programs have failed. This study aims to investigate the determinants of credit access and how loans affect rice farm profitability. Methodology - Data for this study were collected from 102 producers living in the two biggest paddy production zones in southern Togo. The treatment effect model was used to examine the data collected through the survey investigation. Findings- Gender, asset type, producer experience, access to credit information, primary occupation, and land ownership status of the producer are all factors in determining rice growers' access to credit. Gender, producer experience, access to credit information, and land ownership status all have a beneficial impact on credit availability. However, asset type and the producer's main occupation have a negative impact. It also demonstrates that whether rice farms have access to loans has little bearing on their profitability. On the other hand, the average treatment impact of credit access is statistically significant. It also shows that the farmer's degree of education, expertise in the field, and lastly, the size of rice field farmed are the most important elements affecting the profitability of rice fields. Conclusion- The findings have policy implications, increasing the channels for disseminating credible information about funding sources, access procedures and the institutions in charge of these funding sources. Integrating the enhancement of farmers' educational levels into rural support initiatives, and the extension of major agricultural landscaping works undertaken by the government to other areas suitable for rice cultivation. Keywords: Agricultural credit, rice production, Probit-2SLS model, Togo. JEL Codes: C26, D14, Q14