ABSTRACT
The study investigated the influence of gender in access to credit facilities among poultry farmers in Edo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to examine the socio-economic characteristics of poultry farmers in Edo south agricultural extension zone, ascertain the influence of gender in access to credit facilities by the farmers and to identify the difference in the level of participation between males and females in poultry farming. The study employed the use of questionnaire and interview schedule to source for data for the study. It as well made use of primary and secondary sources of data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data generated for the study. Results revealed that the female poultry farmers had more access to credit facilities via loans from cooperative societies (58.4%) and micro-finance banks (46.8%). Most of the males on the other hand, linked their source to savings (65.6%) and loans from banks (42.2%). The respondents at both levels (male = 48.4%; female = 58.4%) had high participation but the proportion of females was higher than that of the males. Multiple regression result showed that age, educational level and farm size were significant to level of farmers’ participation in poultry farming activities. Also, binary regression analysis revealed that age, educational level, farm experience and farm size were significantly related to farmers access to credit facilities. The study then recommends that efforts should be made by stakeholders to encourage more of farmers to jack-up their level of participation so that their productivity and income can be increased. Also government should do well to encourage more of the farmers into cooperative societies and still prevail on them to relax some of their strict rules in order not to discourage potential participants. |
KEYWORDS: |
poultry, farmers, production, products, gender, incentives |
