Determinants of Rice Farmers’ Participation in Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in Southeast, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the determinants of rice farmers’ participation in Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in South-East Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in the selection of states and local government areas in order to capture areas where there are more concentrations of rice farmers and the participating LGAs. Proportionate sampling was adopted in selecting 120 rice farmers’ beneficiaries. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation and ordinary least square regression analysis. Findings show that the beneficiaries rice farmers had high participation (x̄=2.52) in the programme activities with a discriminating index of x̄= 2. Long bureaucratic procedures (x̄=3.29), delay in loan disbursement (x̄=3.39), and high cost of labour (x̄=3.2) insufficient/unavailability of land (x̄=3.1) among others were the most severe constraints faced by beneficiary rice farmers in southeast. Educational level (t =3.015), household size (t = -2681) and access to credit (t = -4.160) were determinants of rice farmers’ level of participation in ABP. The study therefore recommends that there should be timely distribution of inputs among ABP facilitators.