ENHANCING INSTITUTIONAL MICRO-CREDIT FOUNDATIONS FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF WOMEN FARMERS ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Micro-credit loans assist the poor women in developed countries to help themselves achieve sustainability in entrepreneurial development. However, unavailability and insufficient credit loans are the major impediments to agricultural development and poverty alleviation in underdeveloped and developing countries. This study identified the women farmers’ experiences in having access to micro-credit institutions in Oyo State of Nigeria. The study revealed both institutional and non-institutional micro-credit foundations as sources of credit available to women farmers in the area. Formation of informal micro-credit self-help groups brought more relief and quick services to the women farmers’ problems. The finding revealed that majority of the women farmers received less than the amount of loan requested. The repayment rate was very poor due to the mode of disbursement and inability to utilize the loan efficiently. Some constraints were observed as problems encountered in obtaining loan from NACB. However, there was significant relationship between education (Chi2 = 16.25: p = 0.039), farming experience (Chi2 = 15.86: p = 0.044), farm size (Chi2 = 17.01: p = 0.009) and access to loan. There is need for commitment by micro-credit institutions to providing information and credits in a timely and accurate manner and disburse reasonable credit loan to the women