Effect of awareness creation on gender access, utilization and repayment of loans by broiler farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria

Type Journal Article - Net Journal of Agricultural Science
Title Effect of awareness creation on gender access, utilization and repayment of loans by broiler farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria
Author(s)
Volume 1
Issue 3
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
Page numbers 93-99
URL http://www.netjournals.org/pdf/NJAS/2013/3/13-034.pdf
Abstract
This study analyzed the awareness creation by extension agents to bridge gender gap in loan acquisition,
utilization and repayment in broiler production in Cross River State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 360
respondents from 10 villages in 10 Local Government Areas. Thirty-six respondents were selected from
each of the selected villages through simple random sampling technique. Data obtained from the study were
analyzed using descriptive statistic. This study showed that 64.17% of broiler farmers in the study area were
male and 35.83% were female. This implies the gender ratio in Cross River State was 1.79 (men) : 1
(women). This study showed that increased access of women to credit through banks/ micro-finance banks,
it is suggested that extension service delivery has positive impact on women in loan acquisition, utilization
and repayment by women broiler farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria. This study also showed the various
forms of assistance given by extension agents to loan beneficiaries. The extension agents and bank staff
take interest in monitoring the loan utilization and repayment as reported by most (77.22%) of the
respondents. Provision of broiler farmers’ needs was also another form of assistance (training,
monitoring/evaluation and technical assistance as reported by them had 42.50, 5.00 and 21.94%,
respectively. It was recommended that micro-credit institutions should be sited in rural areas were more
women and men broiler farmers reside. Micro-credit institutions should monitor and assess the repayment
ability of borrowers on time with a view to intervene at critical periods to prevent loan defaults. In Cross River
State, some female farmers do not have collateral, but needs loan for investment in poultry production;
women broiler farmers are encouraged to form or joint existing cooperative groups to enable them obtain
loans from banks for expansion of their farms. Beside that extension agents should train broiler farmers to
use available resources efficiency and adopt new technologies to ensure increase productivity and loan
repayment.

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