Sadiq, M.S., Kolo, M.D. Akerele, F. O.
The study identified factors influencing credit constraints of farming households participating in National Special Programme on Food Security in Niger state. NSPFS has three sites in Niger state namely, Nasarawa, Lioji, and Gidan Mangoro. A multi stage sampling technique was used to select 133 farmers and data for the study was elicited with the aid of pre-tested questionnaire which was administered on the respondents. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, pseudoprofit function model and Probit Regression model. The results indicated that most of the beneficiaries were found to be small scale farmers, men dominated and mostly married, large household size, and with low level of literacy. The results of the analysis further revealed that majority of the beneficiaries (69.17%) were credit constrained, while the remaining (30.83%) were non-credit constrained. Furthermore, the study revealed that age, household size, farm size and extension contact all significantly influenced credit constraint condition of NSPFS farming households in the study area. Farmers in the study area are faced with certain problems in accessing NSPFS credit, such as problem of untimely credit delivery, inadequate extension contact and administrative procedure. Therefore the study recommends improvement and sufficient credit advancement to farmers especially the constrained ones thereby increasing productivity and thus food security in the study area.
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