Determinants of Demand and Participation by Poultry Farmers in Formal and Informal Credit Markets in Cross River State, Nigeria

A typical challenge for over 65 percent of the Nigerian population living in rural areas and surviving through agricultural activities is access to credit facilities needed to procure technological inputs that trigger productivity. This has consequently limited the capacity of small and micro agro-enterprises - especially poultry enterprises - to develop. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyse factors affecting the demand and participation of agro-entrepreneurs, particularly poultry farmers, in formal and informal credit markets in Cross River State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 295 poultry farmers. Data were collected for the 2022 production cycle using structured questionnaires and interviews, and the results were analysed using a multinomial logit model. The results revealed that socioeconomic and enterprise characteristics such as educational level, gender, farm capacity, poultry training, and household assets were significant factors that influenced the participant's choice of credit institution in the study area. Also, favourable terms, outstanding loans and easier access to loans were the institutional factors that affected credit demand. Training and workshop programmes should be organised by government and corporate financial institutions to encourage participation in credit markets so that the abundant available funds can be efficiently utilised in the production process

Assessment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Vulnerability Index and Its Effect on Labour Productivity of Rural Farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria

The research assessed the HIV/AIDS vulnerability index effects on rural labour productivity of agricultural communities in Cross River State. Using multistage random sampling techniques on infected and non-infected farm households, 308 respondents were sampled and structured questionnaires were administered by trained enumerators with adequate experience in the state. Data were analysed using the fussy set approach to health risk vulnerability, descriptive and correlation analysis to determine vulnerability index, productive labour force and relationship between vulnerability index and productivity of both infected and non-infected rural farmers. The average labour force (18 years and above) for infected households was approximately 3 persons per household as against 4 persons for non-infected farm households. The mean labour productivity for infected farmers was 6715 ton/man day while, the non-infected farmer was 8285 ton/man day, where the difference in productivity was significant. A vulnerability index of 16% was established and the indicators that contributed significantly were; care not to take unscreened blood, care not to touch blood of others, having sex indiscriminately, sharing clipper, reduction in savings, and reduction in number of working hours. Furthermore, 43.97% of infected households and 20.40% of the pooled farmers were found to be highly vulnerable. Also an inverse relationship between labour productivity and vulnerability index was established and data were statistically significant. The researcher recommends special inputs subsidy programme for infected farmers, institutionalization of the HIV/AIDS (public health) desk in the State and federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development

Determinants of Demand and Participation by Poultry Farmers in Formal and Informal Credit Market in Cross River State, Nigeria

A typical challenge for the over 65 percent of the Nigerian population living in the rural areas and surviving through agricultural activities, is access to credit facilities needed to procure technological inputs that triggers productivity. This has consequently limited the capacity of small and micro agro-enterprises especially poultry enterprises to develop. This study therefore, was undertaken to analyze factors affecting demand and participation of agro-entrepreneurs particularly, poultry farmers in formal and informal credit market in Cross River State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 295 poultry farmers. Data were collected for the 2022 production cycle using structured questionnaires and interview schedule, administered on the respondents were analyzed using multinomial logit model. The results revealed that socio-economic and enterprise characteristics such as educational level, gender, farm capacity, poultry training and household asset significant factors that influenced participant choice of credit institution in the study area. Also favourable terms, outstanding loan and easier to get loan were the institutional factors that affect credit demand. Training and workshop programmes should be organized by government and corporate financial institutions to encourage participation in credit market such that the huge fund deposit seeking to be invested can be efficiently utilized in the production process

Determinants of Demand and Participation by Poultry Farmers in Formal and Informal Credit Market in Cross River State, Nigeria

A typical challenge for the over 65 percent of the Nigerian population living in the rural areas and surviving through agricultural activities, is access to credit facilities needed to procure technological inputs that triggers productivity. This has consequently limited the capacity of small and micro agro-enterprises especially poultry enterprises to develop. This study therefore, was undertaken to analyze factors affecting demand and participation of agro-entrepreneurs particularly, poultry farmers in formal and informal credit market in Cross River State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 295 poultry farmers. Data were collected for the 2022 production cycle using structured questionnaires and interview schedule, administered on the respondents were analyzed using multinomial logit model. The results revealed that socio-economic and enterprise characteristics such as educational level, gender, farm capacity, poultry training and household asset significant factors that influenced participant choice of credit institution in the study area. Also favourable terms, outstanding loan and easier to get loan were the institutional factors that affect credit demand. Training and workshop programmes should be organized by government and corporate financial institutions to encourage participation in credit market such that the huge fund deposit seeking to be invested can be efficiently utilized in the production process

The perceived influence of COVID-19 preventive measures on the profit efficiency of smallholders’ cereal marketers in Cameroon

AbstractThis study was carried out to analyse the perceived influence of COVID-19 preventive measures on the profit efficiency of smallholders’ cereal marketers in Cameroon. The study hypothesizes that COVID-19 preventive measures significantly influence cereal marketers’ profit efficiency. A method of sampling, involving multiple stages and random selection, was employed to choose a group of 747 cereal marketers, and was analysed via the stochastic frontier model and beta regression. Cereal marketers are aware of the COVID-19 pandemic (80%), and of the government preventive policy measures (63%). The number of days in lockdown, the costs of hand sanitizer and face masks negatively influence cereal marketers’ profit efficiency while community sensitization positively influence cereal marketers’ profit efficiency. Borrowed money from friends (73%), Borrowed of money from money lenders (69%), withdrawal of savings (70%), material/financial support (37%), sell off assets to meet the daily need (73%), reduction of the quality of meals eaten (66%), and sell off reserved food to earn more money (63%) are the copying strategies used by cereal marketers. The study did not involve control groups that face different levels of exposure, and suggest that control groups could help isolate the effects of preventive measures from other external factors and provide a basis for comparison for further studies. To make preventive outbreak measures effective, price subsidies should be implemented to enable the use and access of hand sanitizer and disposable face masks, and the continuous wide broadcasting through community sensitization