ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF ANCHOR BORROWERS’ PROGRAMME ON THE LIVELIHOOD OF SMALLHOL DER WHEAT FARMERS IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the effects of Anchor Borrowers’ Brogramme (ABP) on the livelihood of smallholder wheat farmers in Zamfara State, Nigeria. A multi stage sampling procedure was used to select 182 beneficiaries and 182 non-beneficiaries of ABP. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analysed using Propensity score matching (PSM). The result of Radius matching shows that ABP had a significant effect (P<0.01) on the yield of smallholder wheat farmers who were beneficiaries of the programme with a difference of 873.598 kg/ha of wheat against the non-beneficiaries of ABP in the study area. Similarly, the result of using Radius matching revealed a difference of N165, 060:00 in income, significant at 1%, and the result of Radius matching revealed a significant (P<0.001) increase in assets accumulation (level of living) of about N527, 275:00 between the beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of ABP. It can be concluded from the results that ABP had positive effect on the yield, income and level of living (livelihood) of beneficiaries of the programme. It was therefore recommended that the ABP or similar program be replicated in other communities by government, NGOs or private.