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DETERMINANTS OF FARMERS’ ACCESS TO INFORMAL SUPPORT IN NKANU WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
The study examined socio-economic determinants of farming households’ access to informal support in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents from farming communities in the area for the study. Data were collected from primary sources with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, percentages and multiple regression. Result showed that majority of the farming households were headed by males (73%) whom were mostly married (79%). Age of heads of households and number of years spent in formal education averaged 47 and 11 years respectively while average farm size and household income were 1.7 hectares and ₦159, 700.00 respectively. The farmers had average of 13 years farming experience; about 83% did not belong to any form of farmers’ association while 77% had no access to formal sources of credit. Results showed that family members, relatives and friends were the main sources of informal support. Major forms of informal support received include; care/support during sickness (74%), care/support during bereavement (58%), and sundry advisory services (43%). Result of regression analysis showed that age (0.499), membership of cooperative society (0.472) and educational status (0.014) had positive and significant effects, at 1% level, on access to informal support. Hence, policies aimed at addressing these factors are important to enhance access to informal support among the respondents in the study area. It was recommended among others that effort should be intensified at encouraging farmers to form cooperative societies or join existing ones. There is also need for access to free and affordable education to enable farmers’ access and process information to enhance access to informal support in the study area.
