Farming Experience Research Articles

A Study on Socio-Economic Status of Cabbage Growers in Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu, India

Rural development is crucial for the development of the nation. Socio-economic status is dynamic in nature. Socio-economic status provides information on the association between certain factors and the livelihood of vegetables growers. In this study; an attempt had been made to understand the reality of cabbage growers. Krishnagiri was purposefully selected. Kelamangalam block was chosen for the study. The aim of the study was to collect data regarding the characteristics of sample farm households and categorize them into closely related sub groups. Total sample size used for this study was 120. Data was collected by a personal interview method. The personal variables, social variables, economic variables, farming related variables are taken into account to summarize the socio-economic status of cabbage farmers. Based on the data, Agriculture was the main occupation in the study area. Majority of sample farmers had moderate experience in farming. Most of sample farmers had smaller land holdings. Most of the farmers were found to be in the low income group.

Profitability of Organic Versus Conventional Rice Production: An Evidence from South Asia

Rice, a staple and cash crop in South Asia, is vital for small-scale farmers, but concerns about the profitability of organic farming challenge its adoption despite its environmental benefits. The present study was conducted in the Rice-Wheat zone of three South Asian countries to make a comparison of profit efficiency in rice production under organic and conventional farming systems and to examine factors affecting profit efficiency. A multistage sampling technique was employed to collect cross-sectional data. Profit efficiency was determined by employing Cobb Douglas's functional form of stochastic profit frontier. Results show that the mean profit efficiency of organic rice growers is 0.89 less than conventional rice growers (0.910) in Pakistan. The mean profit efficiencies of organic growers are higher than conventional growers in Nepal and Bangladesh. Education and the role of the extension department are important factors in increasing the efficiency of organic and conventional farming while access to credit and experience in rice farming are significant in reducing inefficiencies in conventional rice farming. The study concludes that the education of farmers, the role of extension services, and easy credit access are key policy variables to improve profit efficiency.

Factors Influencing Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices Adoption and Crop Productivity among Smallholder Farmers in Nyimba District, Zambia

Climate change significantly affects smallholder farmers, whose livelihoods are closely tied to the environment. This study explores factors influencing the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices and their impact on crop productivity among small-scale farmers in Nyimba District, Zambia. Data were collected from 194 households across 12 villages, and logistic regression and propensity score matching analyses were employed to identify key factors and evaluate CSA’s effects on crop yields. Findings revealed that CSA adoption is influenced by factors such as education level, household size, fertilizer use, age, gender, farming experience, livestock ownership, income, farmland size, marital status, and access to climate-related information. CSA adopters experienced a 20.20% increase in overall crop yields compared to non-adopters, with a 21.50% increase in maize yields specifically. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to support CSA adoption through education, improved dissemination of climate information, and access to critical resources such as improved seeds and financial services. This research offers insights for policymakers and extension services to develop evidence-based strategies enhancing resilience and productivity among smallholder farmers in response to climate challenges.

Disaster Induced Agricultural Productivity in Coastal Regions of Bangladesh: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis Approach

The production and technical efficiency of the rice sector in Bangladesh’s coastal areas are vulnerable to a wide range of natural disasters and climate change issues. These regions face recurring threats from climatic events such as salinity intrusion, inundation, rising sea levels, and cyclones, which can significantly disrupt agricultural activities. In this paper, we conduct a comparative analysis of the rice producers’ technical efficiency based on their exposure to disaster-induced impacts over the past five years. Using the Stochastic Frontier Analysis, we examine factors influencing household-level productive efficiency in three coastal districts—Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar, and Khulna. Our findings reveal that rice-producing households affected by natural disasters between 2014 and 2018 exhibited, on average, an 8.29 percentage point higher productive efficiency compared to unaffected households. When controlling for other confounding variables, such as household characteristics and external conditions, the efficiency gain rises to 19.8%. This suggests that households exposed to adverse climatic events may have adapted their farming practices to become more resilient, thus improving their productive efficiency in the long term. Moreover, our results indicate that a larger household size enhances efficiency by 6.7%. Households where rice farming is the primary occupation also tend to be more efficient, likely because of greater specialization and focus on improving agricultural practices. Finally, the age of the producer is positively associated with efficiency, reflecting the accumulation of farming experience and knowledge over time.

Determinants of Agricultural Land Fallowing in Kerala, India: Insights and Implications

Kerala's land use dynamics have undergone significant transformations, with increasing fallows emerged as a key concern amid changing land utilization patterns. The study explores key factors contributing to the fallowing of agricultural land in Kerala. The research was conducted across three districts selected based on implementation of fallow land development schemes representing the northern, central, and southern regions of the state. A total of 360 farmers were surveyed, comprising 180 farmers with owned fallow land and 180 beneficiaries of fallow land development schemes. Data were collected using a pretested interview schedule, developed through extensive literature review and expert inputs. Factor analysis was employed to identify key determinants. Six major factors with eigenvalues greater than one were extracted, explaining 58.95% of the cumulative variance. These factors include perspectives on fallowing, socio-economic attributes, land use experience, risk contingencies, personal traits, and economic and agro-ecological features. The findings highlight that perspectives on fallowing contribute the largest variance (21.96%), emphasizing the importance of farmers' perception on causes and consequences of fallowing. Socio-economic attributes (11.25%) underline the role of family size, subsidiary enterprises, land value, and wage rate in influencing land use decisions. Land use experience (9.06%) reflects farming experience and preceding crop cultivated. Risk contingencies (6.22%) emphasize challenges like wild animal attacks and distance of farm land from road. Personal traits (5.50%) comprise of age and personal reason for fallowing. Economic and agro-ecological features (4.96%) including income, extreme weather events and land fragmentation, also emerged as critical determinants. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the multi-dimensional factors driving agricultural land fallowing in Kerala, offering insights for policymakers and stakeholders to design targeted interventions to promote sustainable land use.

UnravelingFarmers’Buying Process for Agricultural Inputs in Himachal Pradesh: Implication for Agricultural Marketing

The present study was carried out on farmers’ buying process towards agricultural inputs in the high hill temperate wet zone of Himachal Pradesh. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used for the selection of sampled households in the study area. The primary data were collected from a sample of 448 farmers who were the significant decision-makers in their households. It was examined that quality consciousness was high, especially for seeds (52.45 per cent), power sprayers (50.18 per cent) and agrochemicals (47.23 per cent). The buying decision times varied by input, averaging 3.06 and 60.58 days for seed and power tillers, which required more deliberation due to cost and complexity. Farmers used an average of 2-3 information sources for frequently purchased inputs, increasing to over 4 for infrequently purchased inputs. Statistical analysis showed that education, farming experience, and quality consciousness significantly influenced buying behaviour across various decision stages, including decision time and number of suppliers evaluated and critically shaped the buying process, particularly for high-investment inputs. The results of the study are helpful to policy formulators in the agriculture input sector, agribusiness firms, and researchers in consumer behaviour in designing marketing strategies based on changing market dynamics.

Small-scale farmers' market constraints in Ghana: influential farm-level contingencies

This study sought to identify significant barriers to market access and marketing connections for small-scale rural farmers, evaluating the impact of demographic factors (gender, education level) and operational factors (years in farming, distance from home, type of commodity) on these constraints. The research employed a cross-sectional descriptive and inferential quantitative approach to examine the barriers to market access and marketing connections among small-scale rural farmers in Ghana's Volta area. The conceptual framework is based on a multi-theory approach. The contingency theory elucidates the significance of farm size, resource availability, and geographic location; the human capital theory delineates the impact of education level and years of farming experience; and the logistics and spatial analysis framework examines how transportation infrastructure, geographic location, and commodity type affect market access and connections. The investigation indicated that inadequate road infrastructure and elevated transportation expenses were the primary obstacles for small-scale rural farmers in accessing markets, with notable disparities based on gender and educational attainment. The commodity kind, years of cultivation, and distance from home substantially influenced limitations. The study concentrated on the Volta region, however the results are probably relevant to other regions in Ghana because of comparable agro-ecological zones and rural socio-economic traits. The rigorous research design, data collection techniques, and comprehensive analysis guarantee dependable and valid outcomes. Notwithstanding possible constraints in generalisability, the research provides comprehensive insights into the distinct issues encountered by small-scale farmers. It emphasises socio-economic factors affecting market access, illustrates the impact of farm-level contingencies on market access and linkages, identifies both diversity and uniformity among small-scale farmers, and addresses a gap in the literature by offering empirical evidence on market access constraints specific to the Volta region that may have global relevance. These contributions are significant for both academic comprehension and practical initiatives aimed at assisting small-scale rural farmers in Ghana and analogous environments worldwide.

Socio-Demographic Determinants of Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption Among Smallholder Crop Producers in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province of South Africa

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is a transformative approach to farming that aims to meet the demands of increasing food production under the growing pressures of climate change. CSA’s goals are to boost agricultural productivity, enhance resilience to climate impacts, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the study explored farmers’ socio-demographic factors influencing the adoption of CSA in sustainable crop production. The study was carried out in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga province of South Africa, with a focus on smallholder crop producers in the area. The study surveyed 300 smallholder farmers and employed simple random sampling, structured questionnaires, and a binary logistic regression model for data analysis. The significant and positive socio-demographic variables relevant to the adoption of climate-smart practices were level of education (p < 0.014), household size (p < 0.007), farm experience (p < 0.053), and farmland fertility (p < 0.047). Therefore, for CSA practices to be adopted by smallholder crop producers, a targeted approach is needed to address this issue. Therefore, support and training are needed to bridge the literacy gap among smallholder crop producers with the overall aim of improving their understanding of climate change and CSA practices that can mitigate the effects of climate change.

Agency in sedimented situations featuring farmer experiences of climate disruptions in the Mekong Delta

ABSTRACT Climate instability and devastation pose global threats to human security. Place-based approaches to psychology offer useful orientations towards situating people in time and place, and for advancing research into climate disruptions. Informed by assembling thinking, this article explores the emplaced experiences and emergent agentive responses to climate change among farmers in four sites in the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam. In August 2023, 20 farmers (5 each from 4 communal sub-regions) took part in interviews where they emplaced their experiences of climate disruptions by drawing their farms, what had changed, and how they were responding. With government and cooperative support, farmers report building water levees, regenerating soil compositions, seeding alternative crops, and changing cultivation practices. These efforts are restrained by the share scale of changes, increased debt burdens, and resource limits. Findings foreground the importance of culture, interconnected identities and emergent agency in the assemblaging of, and changes within local farmscapes and continuing familial legacy place attachments in the region.

Determinants of Improved Boset Teff Variety Adoption in Minjar Shenokora District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

The current production system of teff cannot satisfy the consumers demand and this is due to backward agricultural mechanisms and lack of improved teff varieties. The governments of Ethiopia renew their interest on improved teff variety adoption to improve farmer’s farm productivity. There are a number of improved teff varieties invested in Ethiopia in general and in the study area in particular. However, Mnijar shenkora district is well known boset teff variety have been disseminated and adopted in the district through the help of agricultural research centers to improve teff production in the area. Investigating the determinants of improved boset teff variety adoption is important. A sample of 245 farm households was considered for socio economic survey. The collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics indicated that, there is significance difference between boset teff adopters and non-adopters. Binary logit model was applied to identify the determinants of improved boset teff variety adoption. The result indicates that improved boset teff adoption is determined by different factors. Family size, fertilizer use and farming experience was negatively associated with adoption of improved boset teff variety. In contrast, education level, cultivated farm size and access to credit were positively associated with improved boset teff variety adoption.

Evaluation of the determinants of honey producers' market outlet choices in Huye District, Southern Province of Rwanda

Beekeeping is a profitable and socially beneficial farming business among Sub-Saharan Africa’s rural forest-based communities. Honey production, which is crucial for farm household health and nutrition in Rwanda’s forest-based rural communities, is growing significantly. However, various factors influence farm household heads’ decisions regarding the best outlets for delivering honey to the nearest market. It is vital to identify these factors to optimize honey production and marketing activities. Hence, this research was conducted in Rwanda’s Southern province, where agriculture and forestry are the primary economic activities to identify the potential factors. Using a cross-sectional approach, with primary data collected over a specific period, the economic data of honey producers were analyzed using STATA version 16. In total, 152 respondents were sampled using multi-stage sampling technique. A multivariate probit regression was used to assess the determinants of market outlet choices for honey producers. The results showed that education level, distance to market, training and credit access, extension service, market information, farming experience, time spent on honey collection, quantity sold, communication, and transport cost significantly influenced honey producers' market outlet choices. To increase profits, honey producers should increase honey collection time and sales, improve client communication, form cooperatives, and negotiate better prices with potential buyers. Driving personal vehicles can also reduce transportation costs. The government and industry stakeholders can support producers by offering credit loans, market information, extension services, marketing infrastructure, and adult education. To improve honey marketing channels, industry connections should be strengthened, and capacity-building training provided to raise producer awareness.

Estimating farmers’ willingness to pay for crop insurance with application of choice experiment: case study in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

PurposeThis study aims to estimate farmers’ willingness to pay for crop insurance, utilizing a choice experiment case study in the South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia.Design/methodology/approachPrimary cross-sectional data were collected in 2023 from 240 farm households. The choice experiment method was employed to elicit farmers’ willingness to pay for crop insurance. Five attributes, including monetary cost, were identified for the choice experiment, with two improved scenarios and a status quo presented to respondents. The mixed logit model and extended mixed logit model were used for analysis.FindingsThe econometric model indicated that, with the exception of one attribute, all were positive and statistically significant. Farmers showed a preference for improved scenarios over the status quo, demonstrating a willingness to pay for crop insurance. The extended mixed logit model revealed that factors such as livestock ownership, household head’s sex, family size, income, farming experience, crop risk exposure, and additional occupations significantly influenced farmers’ preferences for crop insurance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s sample size was limited to 240 farm households, which is relatively small. More reliable results could be obtained with a larger sample size. Another significant limitation is the study’s failure to account for institutional setups when assessing farmers’ willingness to pay for crop insurance.Practical implicationsAgricultural risk, particularly crop risk, is severe in the study area. The results suggest that farmers have a genuine need for risk mitigation mechanisms, such as crop insurance. The findings reflect farmers’ interest in crop insurance, indicating that responsible entities, whether governmental or private insurance companies, can readily implement crop insurance schemes.Social implicationsThe study has significant social implications, as the society in the study area is highly vulnerable to crop risk, which adversely affects their livelihood. Introducing a crop insurance scheme could enhance the welfare and livelihood of the local population.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, this study is novel in both concept and methodology. Unlike previous studies, which focused on specific crop risks, this study considers multiple crop risks. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and other stakeholders involved in crop insurance. Understanding farmers’ preferences for crop insurance is crucial for designing effective crop insurance policies.

Does dairy cooperative membership improve food and nutrition security among rural farmers? A micro‐perspective from Zambia

AbstractAlthough research on the impacts of agricultural cooperatives is growing, studies on the effects of dairy cooperative membership on food security in developing countries remain scarce. This article follows the same line of inquiry to determine the impact of dairy cooperative membership on food and nutrition security (household dietary diversity score and food insecurity experience score) using data from 515 rural dairy farmers in Zambia. To account for selection bias issues, we use the endogenous switching Poisson regression model supplemented with the Poisson regression with endogenous treatment and machine learning techniques. Results indicate that age, education, dairy farming experience and participation in seminars on cooperatives positively influence dairy cooperative membership. Conversely, higher milk prices at collection centres are associated with a decreased likelihood of cooperative membership. We find that dairy cooperative membership increases dietary diversity and food security for a dairy farmer and dairy cooperative members as well as the non‐members if they joined dairy cooperatives. Further, dairy cooperative membership increases food and nutrition security for dairy farmers who join cooperatives because they are nearby. Collectively, our results support increased dairy cooperative development in rural areas to improve food and nutrition security of rural dwellers in developing countries.

Determinants of Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption Among Rice Farmers: Enhancing Sustainability

The use of conventional farming methods, excessive reliance on fertilizers and inputs, and abrupt shifts in climate have raised significant concerns regarding global agricultural production, particularly in developing countries like Nepal. Agriculture products such as rice hold significant importance in Nepal’s agriculture and economy, serving as a staple food and a crucial source of livelihood for its population. Sustainable cultivation and enhancing productivity are imperative for ensuring food security and economic stability in the country. Adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices can minimize detrimental effects, promote sustainability, and enhance resilience towards climate change. We surveyed 200 farmers across four municipalities in the Chitwan District of Nepal to explore the prevalence and socio-economic drivers of the adoption of CSA practices, which include stress-tolerant varieties, efficient water management, and diversified cropping, among others. The results revealed that the adoption of pest-resistant plant varieties was a common CSA practice in the study area. Logistic regression results revealed that the adoption of CSA practices increases with an increase in the education of farmers and membership of climate-related organizations. Similarly, the adoption of CSA practices is negatively associated with an increase in farm size, farmers’ farming experience, and their access to credit facilities. Short-term courses and training could be initiated as a complement to formal education to maximize the adoption of CSA practices. Similarly, climate and farmer-related organizations should be further strengthened to maximize their capacity to facilitate more farmers and provide need-based, timely information flow. This study highlights the potential of CSA to promote sustainability and enhance resilience to climate change, but also identifies barriers such as credit access and the need for tailored policy interventions. Our findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of CSA adoption in vulnerable agricultural settings and can guide future strategies to promote sustainability and climate resilience in smallholder farming communities in developing countries.

Determinants of rice production in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia: In search of innovative sustainable farm management practices

Over the past five years, rice production in Bantaeng Regency has averaged 5.2 tons per hectare, considerably below Bantaeng Regency's 2020 goal of 10.0 tons. Low rice yield internationally and domestically has prompted many studies to assess the effect of farmer and farm characteristics, and input factors on rice production. These include education, agricultural income, farmer cooperatives, production inputs, and financing. In response to this issue, the present study examined determinants of rice production in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. A representative sample of 185 rice farmers was randomly selected for structured interviews. The data analysis was carried out by employing the Binary Logistics Regression Analysis (BLRA). We used the BLRA to regress thirteen independent variables (land area, seed application, urea fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, insecticides, herbicides, farm labor, education length, education level, farmer age, experience in farming, landowner status, and farming distance) to examine their effects on rice production. As a result, all independent variables simultaneously had a statistically significant effect on rice yield. Then, the partial testing of thirteen variables revealed that five variables—urea fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, pesticide, labor, and farmer age—had a positive and significant impact on rice production. In contrast, the seed application variable has a statistically negative effect on rice yield, while the other variables do not. Based on the results of this study, we recommend five innovative rice farm management strategies to enhance rice production in the future. Firstly, the farmer should expand their cropped area and increase the use of urea fertilizer, insecticides, and herbicides, labor and seed reduction is expected to boost rice yield immediately. Secondly, governments must ensure farmers' access to urea and NPK fertilizers, pesticides, and certified seeds in the future. Thirdly, policymakers must regulate the high costs and limited availability of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, including insecticides and herbicides. The policymaker would guarantee farmers adequate access to these resources. Fourthly, the farmers should use certified seeds with great output potential and apply the right amount. Fifthly, the rural labor replacement policy regulates rural wages and pay to handle the expected farm labor shortage.

Farm to Tourists: Exploring the Challenges and Development Strategies for Agro-tourism in Kurupetta Division in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, an island nation adorned with a rich volume of natural resources, is emerging as a captivating destination for agro-tourism. It allows travelers to experience a unique blend of agricultural experiences and countryside eco-adventures. This research explores the key challenges faced by the agro-tourism sector in Kurupetta Division in Sri Lanka and proposed strategies to improve the sector. This study employed a qualitative research approach, focusing on gathering detailed insights through in-depth interviews with families who actively engaged in agricultural activities within the area. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis. The research findings revealed five main challenges, hindering the agro-tourism practices in Kurupetta Division. It was mainly limited land area, inadequate infrastructure facilities, lack of awareness among farmers, lack of essential skills, and insufficient government support. Further, research emphasizes the need for agricultural and rural development that leads to sustainable national development.

Factors Influence the Adoption of Improved Agricultural Practices among Smallholder Farmers in the Ripat Program: A Case of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Maize plays a significant role in securing food insecurity mostly in developing countries such as Africa, especially in Tanzania where it is a main dietary staple for most people. This research assesses the factors influencing corn production levels among small-scale farmers who benefit from the RIPAT SUA Project in Morogoro, Tanzania. The project aims to improve maize production and food security through improved agriculture practices such as fertilizer use and intercropping methods. This study employed a cross-sectional design with 110 smallholder farmers. Information was collected through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and bivariate probit regression models. Findings reveal that household income, farm size, farmer experience, and training play a crucial role in adopting improved agriculture practices. Notably a significant finding is that a higher income household income increases the chances of using fertilizer by 16.9% (p= 0.015) and receiving training improves the likelihood of adopting intercropping by 8.47% (p = 0.007). However, education alone does not have a noticeable impact signifying that specialized training could be more effective in improving adoption rates among small farmers with limited formal education. The research findings conclude that increased training opportunities, specifically for farmers with minimal education, and matching access to credit availability with agricultural investment. This measure will assist small-scale in boosting productivity, eventually supporting the sustainable growth of agriculture in Tanzania.

Technical Efficiency in Bitter Melon Plants Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Model in Tanah Laut District

Farm technical efficiency involves maximizing output while minimizing input costs. In Tanah Laut Regency, bitter melon production fluctuates annually due to climatic factors and inefficient input use. On average, farmers use 0.47 hectares of land, 166 grams/ha of seeds, 2,659 kg/ha of organic fertilizer, 208 kg/ha of inorganic fertilizer, 7.08 liters/ha of liquid pesticides, 7.24 kg/ha of solid pesticides, and 339 HKSP of labor. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) indicates that farmers are technically inefficient, with average technical efficiencies of 80.8% (CRS-DEA), 89.9% (VRS-DEA), and 89.8% (SE-DEA). Among the farmers, 32% operate under increasing returns to scale (IRS), 26% under constant returns to scale (CRS), and 42% under decreasing returns to scale (DRS). A logit regression model reveals that education level, farming experience, and number of family members significantly impact technical efficiency, while age, land ownership status, and off-farm income do not. To enhance efficiency, farmers should reduce input use by emulating the practices of their more efficient peers.

Economic Analysis and Efficiency of Small-Scale Catfish Farms in Delta State, Nigeria

This study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency and profitability of catfish farms in Delta State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study sort to: evaluate the level of efficiency in catfish farms, ascertain the profitability of catfish farms, identify the strategies for enhancing efficiency among catfish farmers and determine the effect of socio-economic and institutional characteristics on the efficiency of cat fish farmers. A multi-stage and proportionate random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 600 Catfish farmer. Primary data were collected using well-structured questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out on the objectives using the descriptive and inferential statistics of frequency, percentage, mean, budgetary analysis, and multiple regression technique. The result shows that majority 81% of catfish farmers were male with a mean age of 47 years. Most respondents 65% were married with a mean household size of 5 persons. Regarding education, 46.7% had secondary education and their primary sources of credit were cooperatives 41.9%. The mean farming experience was 11 years with 43.3% farming primarily for commercial purposes. The most common production method was tarpaulin 56.7%. The study identified various strategies for enhancing catfish production which include regular feeding, use of commercial feed, good water quality control, personal labor to reduce cost, and regular medication. The multiple regression model indicated that, variables such as the level of farming expertise, the type of labor employed, and educational qualification, stocking density, membership of association, pond size, and household size had significant effects on production efficiency of catfish farms. This result underscored the significance of providing customized training, group networking assistance and access to credit and extension services to enhance the overall efficiency of catfish farms in Delta State.

Determinants and Constraints of Access to Credit by Poultry Egg Farmers in Ogun State Nigeria

Access to credit is crucial for the advancement of the poultry industry in Nigeria, yet a significant portion of poultry farmers lack access to formal credit sources. This study investigates determinants and constraints to credit access among poultry egg farmers in Ogun State, based on data collected from 180 farmers using a multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and a Logit regression model were employed for analysis. About 33.3% of the farmers were within the age range of 41-50, poultry farmers of 62.2% within the region were more of male farmers while 75.6% of the farmers were educated up to tertiary level. Only 45% of respondents had credit access, with varying sources: 19.8% from commercial banks, 37% from cooperatives, 18% from microfinance banks, 2.5% from the Bank of Agriculture, 6.2% from government sources, and 12.3% from private organizations. The Logit model revealed that farming experience and flock size significantly influence credit access (p<0.01). For each year of farming experience, there is a 4.8% increase in the likelihood of credit access. Similarly, for each unit increase in flock size, there is approximately a 0.04% rise in credit access likelihood. Descriptive statistics highlight constraints to credit access: lack of awareness (5.1%), absence of collateral (30.3%), lack of interest (5.1%), loan denial (12.1%), high interest rates (27.2%), regulatory hurdles (8.1%), and inadequate documentation (12.1%). It is recommended that policymakers and financial institutions develop tailored credit products for poultry farmers, addressing specific challenges such as collateral requirements and high interest rates, this is because once financial barriers are removed production is likely to improve. Additionally, enhancing farmer awareness of available credit options and simplifying application processes can improve credit accessibility in the sector.