ACQUISITION AND UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL CREDITS BY POULTRY FARMERS

ABSTRACT

This study examined the acquisition and utilization of agricultural credits by poultry farmers in edo south agroecological zone of Edo state. The specific objectives were to examine the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents in the study area, to examine the major sources and amount of agricultural credit to poultry farmers in the study area, to ascertain the uses in which the accessed credit was put into in the study area, compare production level and profitability between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of credit in the study area. Other objectives were to identify the determinant to the access and utilization to credit of poultry farmers as well as to examine the constraints faced by poultry farmers in acquiring and utilizing agricultural credit. A three stage selection technique was employed in this study. Data for this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through the use of structured questionnaire administered through interview schedule to one hundred and twenty (120) randomly selected respondents from the study area and ninety-six (96) were retrieved for analysis. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analysis and students' t-test.