Main Article Content

Analysis of Women Farmers’ Participation in Youth Team in Action Supporting Community Initiated Development (YOTASCID) Microcredit Programme, Kaduna State, Nigeria


H.Y. Michael

Abstract

Agriculture plays a fundamental role in economic growth and development. Over 80% of women in various farming communities in Nigeria depend on agriculture as the main source of livelihood, with majority living below the poverty line. Moreover, problems of accessing credit and farm inputs continue to worsen their welfare. In the face of these challenges, financing women farmers has been one of the major concerns of agricultural development efforts in the country. In an effort to cushion the effects of these challenges, the youth team in action supporting community initiated development (YOTASCID); a non-governmental organization (NGO) has evolved over the years with the sole objective of enhancing women farmers’ welfare. However, despite the availability of microcredit, limited empirical information exists on the factors influencing women farmers’ participation in the (YOTASCID) microcredit programme. Primary data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire among 210 respondents, and employed a logit model in the analysis. The core findings of the study were that accessibility to credit, education, household size, occupation, farming experience, farm size, years of cooperative involvement as well as extension contact were the main factors influencing women participation. The study gives policy insights on the key areas of intervention in ensuring that the (YOTASCID) microcredit programme and other related NGO programmes are given capacity to serve the needs and constraints facing women farmers in Kaduna State.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN:
print ISSN: 0300-368X