No abstract

The study was embarked upon to assess the poverty status among small scale farm household's micro credit users in Ekiti state. Specifically, the study described the socio economic characteristics of the respondents identified the poverty status of the respondents and determined the factors affecting the poverty status of the small scale farm household's micro credit users in Ekiti state. A well-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 150 respondents selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) indices and multivariate probit model. It was revealed that most of the respondents were within the active age range with mean age of 46 years, mostly male (78.67%), married (88%) with average household size of 6 persons. The majority, 85.33% had access to formal education while the average farm size was 2 ha with average farm household income of N224,846.00 per annum. The average farming experience was 18 years and the main source of micro credit to the majority (71.33%) of the respondents was micro credit agency in the state. The average loan applied for and granted was N427,950 but N161,755 was the average amount spent on farming activities. The main challenge encountered in accessing micro credit facilities by 48% (most) of the respondents was lack of collateral security. In determining the poverty status among the respondents, Mean Per Capita Household Annual Income (MPCHHAI) of N45,905 was used as poverty line. It was revealed that 73.33% of the respondents were poor while the main factors affecting the poverty status of the respondents were sex, age, educational level, household size, membership of socioeconomic organization, household income and amount of micro credit collected. It was recommended that the size of micro credit given to the farmers by micro credit agency should be improved upon and diversion of micro credit meant for agricultural production should be discouraged in order to boost agricultural production and alleviate poverty among the small scale farmers.

This study was conducted to examine inclusive growth in agricultural projects, among smallholder farmers in Southwest, Nigeria. The study specifically describes the socioeconomic characteristics of the smallholder farmers, estimates the determinants of inclusiveness of smallholder farmers in agricultural projects, measures the effectiveness of the features of Agricultural projects in supporting inclusive growth, and determines the effects of growth in the projects on farmers' productivity. A multi-stage sampling technique was used. Primary data were collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire from ninety (90) participants and ninety (90) non-participants of three agricultural projects (FADAMA, Root and Tuber Expansion Programme and National Programme for Food Security) with guided interview. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, tobit regression, social opportunity function and t-test analysis. It was gathered from the study that most of the smallholder farmers were male (72.8 percent) with mean age of 50.9 years, they have relatively high household size of 9.0. Over 80.0 percent of the smallholder farmers had access to primary education, the mean years spent in formal education was 7.5. They have spent average of 18.4 years in farming, with standard deviation of 9.1. It was also discovered that they have access to market (60.6 percent), agricultural information (66.1 percent) and credit (52.2 percent). Farm size, educational level, farm experience, access to market, agricultural income, access to credit, access to agricultural information have positive likelihood of increasing the level of inclusiveness. But age and farm distance were negatively related. Factors that significantly affect inclusiveness among smallholder farmers were access to market at 10 percent (co efficient = 0.3), access to credit at 5 percent (co-efficient = 0.2), farm experience at 5 percent (co-efficient = 0.2), and agricultural income at 1 percent (co-efficient = 0.4). Most of the opportunities of agricultural projects were not inclusive, except increase in income and gender equity. There was significant effect of growth on farmers' productivity. It was recommended that bottom-top approach should be used in executing agricultural projects, also capacity building should be encouraged among smallholder farmers. Smallholder farmers should be given easy access to market and credit as this will increase their level of inclusiveness in agricultural projects. The youths should be encouraged to go into farming, because they have enough strength to be included in emerging poverty reduction projects.