Factors Affecting Microfinance Banks Credit Supply to Farmers in Imo State

The study examined the factors affecting microfinance banks credit supply to farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically the study identified the socioeconomic characteristics of the beneficiaries; the amount of credit supplied to the farmers and identified the constraints affecting the performance of microfinance banks in lending to agriculture in the study area.Data were collected with the aid of two sets of structured questionnaire administered to 136 loan beneficiaries and 26 microfinance banks using purposive and simple random techniques. Data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics and multiple regression models. The result indicated that the mean of the credit supplied by the microfinance banks to the farmers was N163,212.50. The result of the multiple regression showed that variables for average farm income, loan period, gender and distance were significant at 1% and 5% levels and are important factors affecting supply of credit by microfinance banks in the study area. It is concluded that there is need for microfinance banks to help look into conditions for granting loans to farmers, so that the poorest of the poor will be able to take advantage of the productivity enhancing technologies that abound in agriculture. Keywords: Microfinance, farmers, lending, credit

AGRICULTURAL FINANCING POLICIES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

The study examined the agricultural financing policies of the government of Nigeria and effects on rural development .The study found that though the government has made serious efforts at making good agricultural policies through schemes, programmes and institutions, it has not been able to back them up with adequate budgetary allocation and financing coupled with corruption in the execution of the policies. It is recommended that for the government agricultural financing policies to achieve its target of rural development, Nigeria will need an adequate level of strategically targeted investment in agriculture, upgrade rural infrastructure, boost productivity, and increase competitiveness of the farm output, in addition to fighting corruption.Agricultural financing, policies, institutions, rural, development, International Development,

AGRICULTURAL FINANCING POLICIES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

The study examined the agricultural financing policies of the government of Nigeria and effects on rural development .The study found that though the government has made serious efforts at making good agricultural policies through schemes, programmes and institutions, it has not been able to back them up with adequate budgetary allocation and financing coupled with corruption in the execution of the policies. It is recommended that for the government agricultural financing policies to achieve its target of rural development, Nigeria will need an adequate level of strategically targeted investment in agriculture, upgrade rural infrastructure, boost productivity, and increase competitiveness of the farm output, in addition to fighting corruption