Gender Disparity in Farmers Access to Agric Credit among Members of Cooperative Societies in Ogbaru Local Government Area if Anambra State

It has been asserted in the literature that men and women continue to have differential access to agricultural resources despite the seemingly equal roles they play in agriculture in many developing countries. Due to geographical and cultural differences, the assertion further warrants an empirical probing. Consequently, this study examines gender disparity in farmers’ access to agricultural credit: A study of selected cooperative societies in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state. Specifically, the study empirically examined the socioeconomic factors influencing farmers’ access to agricultural credit, compared the quantum of credit available to male and female farmers, and also determined the influence of gender in access to agricultural credit using paired sample t-test and the regression analysis. Findings revealed that the joint effect of the explanatory variable in the model account for 74.1% of the variations in the factors influencing farmers access to agricultural credit. Five coefficients (Age, Educational qualification, Farming experience, Income and amount of savings) were significantly influenced farmers access to agricultural credit. Gender as a factor was not significant in influencing access to cooperative loans. There is no significant difference in female and male farmers’ access to agricultural credit. The researcher therefore recommends that: Government should advance adequate farm credit to farmers irrespective of gender to enable them improve food production as well as ensure food security in the area. A supervised credit scheme should be set up by the government as well as functional and effective credit access which would serve as panacea for gender differential in credit access.

Keywords: Gender, Farmers, Agric Credit, Cooperative Societies