ACCESS AND CONSTRAINTS TO CREDIT AMONG SMALL-SCALE WOMEN FARMERS IN WESTERN AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the access and constraints to credit among small-scale women farmers in the Western Agricultural Zone of Bauchi State, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select 200 farming households from ten rural communities across Toro and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The findings revealed that 43.4% of the women farmers were aged 57 years and above, 65.2% were married, and 69.7% had secondary education. The results showed that 70.2% of respondents had accessed credit, with microfinance banks (64.1%), NGOs (63.6%), and cooperatives (61.1%) being the primary sources. Credit was predominantly used for payment of labour (70.2%), purchase of livestock (70.2%), and acquisition of farm inputs including seeds, fertilizers, and equipment (64.1%). The major constraints to credit access were stringent collateral requirements (70.2%), long loan processing time (70.2%), inadequate information (70.2%), lack of trust with lenders (59.1%), low education levels (58.6%), and unfavorable government policies (53.0%). The study concludes that although women farmers have moderate access to credit, institutional and structural barriers significantly constrain their ability to obtain adequate financing. It is recommended that financial institutions should adopt flexible collateral requirements, government should strengthen credit delivery systems through timely disbursement and gender-sensitive policies, and women farmers should be encouraged to join cooperatives while improving their financial literacy through targeted training programs.