Abstract
The study evaluated the National Livestock Small Holder Loans Scheme (NLSHLS) among farmers in Enugu North Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 80 respondents (which comprise 40 project participant farmers and 40 project non-participantfarmers) through the use of structured interview schedule. Frequency distribution, percentage, mean and t-test statistics are used in the analysis of the data. The findings revealed that bureaucratic processes within the agency (95.0%) and inability of the loan beneficiaries to meet all therequirements within a stipulated time (82.5%) were the perceived primary factors by the project participant farmers to have militated against effective loan disbursement by the agency. There was significant difference (t = 15.2, P ≤0.05) between the mean amount of loan applied for and theactual amount of loan disbursed. Effective loan repayment by the beneficiaries was greatly affected by factors such as death of livestock ( X = 3.0), untimely disbursement of loans ( X = 3.0) and the small volume of the loans ( X = 3.0). There was a significant difference (t = 17.02, P ≤0.05) between the mean annual income generated from farming activities before and after participating in the scheme by the participant farmers. It was recommended that the federal government should make enough money available to the banks to enable them meet up with their targets in terms of granting adequate loans to the rural farmers. This will surely improve agricultural production as well as enhancing rural development in the state.
Highlights
In Nigeria, government’s policy on the ban of importation of inputs and services in the livestock sub sector has further exacerbated the plight of farmers in sourcing breeds and strains of livestock including pigs
Litter heterosis effects lead to slightly larger litter size at birth and to higher piglet survival and litter weights
The significant differences observed among the inbred lines of each exotic strain in some of these traits (Table 2) categorized them as distinct groups which can contribute to the improvement of the native pig
Summary
In Nigeria, government’s policy on the ban of importation of inputs and services in the livestock sub sector has further exacerbated the plight of farmers in sourcing breeds and strains of livestock including pigs. Adebambo (1984), Olomu and Oboh (1995) and Williamson and payne (1992) had all maintained that, though our native pigs are noted to perform poorly in growth, they possess useful genetic attributes like tolerance to harsh weather and poor diets, diseases and parasites, good maternal qualities and nickability when crossed with the exotic breeds. These are desirable genetic attributes that can be harnessed during crossbreeding for improvement of litter size and reproductive traits among native pig genotypes before they become extinct. Our native pigs, according to Marire et al (1997), are noted to compare favourably in growth characteristics with their exotic counterparts and have the singular ability to transmit genes for early age at sexual maturity, good maternal ability, most probable producing ability (MPPA) and produce better heterosis in harsh conditions when crossed with the exotic breeds
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