Assessment of Agricultural Credit Acquisition among Small Scale Poultry Farmers in Katsina-Ala and Konshisha Local Government Areas in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess agricultural credit acquisition among small scale poultry farmers in Katsina-Ala and Konshisha Local government areas in Benue State, Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research design, using the cross-sectional approach because it involves assessment of agricultural credit acquisition among small scale poultry farmers in the study area. Structured questionnaire was administered to eighty –eight (88) randomly selected respondents in the study area and interview technique was also used to obtained additional information from the respondents whenever the need arose. The study concludes that agricultural credit is adjudged as an important input to increase poultry production and poultry enterprise using loans in the study area is profitable; however the profitability level is a function of the scale of production. The study suggested that government should remove security advancement of collateral conditions that discourages poultry farmers from commercial banks facilities, formal and informal money lenders should reduce the interest rate to one digit for farmers to afford convenient repayment and more borrowers to be encouraged, and lenders should timely approve/disburse fund to farmers for effective acquisition and curtail the protocols involved in credit acquisition.