Access and Utilization of Micro-Lending Scheme among Rural Farmers in Cross River State: Potentials for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Nigeria

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to investigate the factors that influence farmers’ access and utilization of micro-lending scheme in Cross River State. Six LGAs were randomly selected from the eighteen LGAs that made up the study area. Thereafter, sixty (60) respondents were purposively selected from a village in each of the LGAs. Hence, 360 respondents were selected for the study. Data were collected by use of questionnaire tagged AUMSQ (Access and Utilization of Micro-lending Scheme Questionnaire). The retrieved copies of questionnaire were subjected to numerical test using likert scale rating (SA=strongly agreed; A=agreed; D=disagreed; and SD=strongly disagreed), while descriptive tool comprising tables, percentages, Group Arithmetic Mean (GAM) and Mean Weight Values (MWV) were employed for analyzing data. It was found out that gender, age, access, utilization, time and awareness were significant factors which can promote farmer’s access and utilization to micro-lending scheme in the study area. Contrary, result shows that religion, years put in farming, education and level of income were not significant in promoting access and utilization of micro-lending scheme by farmers in the study area. It was therefore recommended among others that: organizing farmers and building their capacities on business development and management, work plan and proposal development, improve breed and seed will not only address the issues if non-repayment of loan, but will improve the agricultural sector and contribute significantly to address the global food crisis.