Macroeconomic impact of agricultural financing reforms: a computable general equilibrium analysis of Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose- The study analyzed the macroeconomic impact of agricultural financing reforms: a computable general equilibrium analysis of Nigeria. Specifically, the study evaluated the macroeconomic impact of the agricultural financing reforms on economic growth, and agricultural output. Methodology- This study employed time series data from secondary sources such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Bureau of Statistics' (NBS) in conjunction with the World Bank Living Standard Measurement Study (LSMS) and Information from the Nigerian Living Standard Survey for 2019 was used to obtain shares of household income and expenditure which covered the period 2010-2022. Applying the economy-wide methodology of Computer General Equilibrium model on reformatted upgraded Social Accounting Matrix for Nigeria, Simulation Designs, and t- test. Findings- The study finds that agricultural financing reforms through a decrease in interest rates on agricultural loans by 10% and 8% have positive significant impact on economic growth. The results of the study also reveal that agricultural financing reforms through a decrease in interest rates on agricultural loans by 10% and 8% have positive significant impact on agricultural output. Conclusion- The two policy scenarios (10% and 8% reduction in interest rate on agricultural loans) were simulated and the results for both cases indicated that all the macroeconomic indicators increased significantly due to the policy options. Keywords: Macroeconomic impact, agricultural financing reforms, computable general equilibrium analysis, economic growth, Nigeria. JEL Codes: A11, B23, B41, C53, E47