FOSTERING GENDER EQUALITY IN RURAL AFRICA: EXPLORING THE PATH OF AGRICULTURAL CREDIT FOR LEGUME FARMERS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examines the gendered path to the agricultural credit of legume farmers in Nigeria using a decision-making theory. Multistage sampling procedure was adopted which arrives at 1,137 female legume farmers for the study. Data were collected using interview schedule of a household head using Open data kit (ODK). It is then subjected to descriptive and inferential statistic (Logit regression). Credit institution availability in the respondents’ locality and Group membership were found to be positively significant (P≤0.01 and P≤ 0.1) respectively in influencing males to demand for credit. While only Credit institution availability in the respondents’ locality and age were found to be positively significant (P≤0.01 and P≤ 0.1) respectively in influencing females’ demand for credit The study further revealed that majority (84.16%) of males received agricultural credit through their friends and most (93.4%) of females received it through friends. few (13.4% of males and also 13.1% of female legume farmers) requested for agricultural credit in the study area. Also, among those that didn’t demanded for agricultural credit they did it for a reason, lack of money lenders accounted for 30% and 20.39% of males and females respectively. Lack of money lenders accounted for 30% and 20.39% of males and females respectively reason for refusing to request for agricultural credit. More so, majority (70% and 79.61% of males and female legume farmers) were in need of the credit but didn’t apply for some reasons. The study also revealed that out of 13.4% of males and also 13.1% of female legume farmers that requested for agricultural credit, majority (78.3 and 82.6% of male and females) got it. It is concluded that both gender have access to agricultural credit mostly through their friends. It is hence recommended that informal lenders should be encouraged through the appropriate policy framework to act as community level agents serving as intermediaries between borrowers in farming communities and the formal financial institutions based in the cities and towns across the country.