DETERMINANTS OF ACCESS TO CREDIT AMONG POULTRY FARMERS IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the determinants of credit access among poultry farmers in Delta State,  Nigeria, a subsector of critical importance to national food security, employment generation, and rural livelihood sustainability. Primary data were collected from a sample of 180 poultry farmers using a multistage sampling technique across selected Local government Areas. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were used to summarize the socioeconomic characteristics of the poultry farmers and other relevant study variables. Findings revealed that poultry farming in the study area was predominantly undertaken by economically active, educated farmers with considerable production experience. Personal savings constituted the primary financing source (87.8%), followed by cooperative societies (67.2%) and microfinance banks (57.8%). The farm size show that poultry production among the respondents was predominantly medium-scale, with 63.9% keeping between 500 and 1,999 birds. The logistic regression results established that educational attainment, farming experience, farm size, annual income, cooperative membership, and extension contact significantly influenced credit accessibility. Major constraints identified included high interest rates, collateral deficiencies, bureaucratic procedures, delayed disbursement, and inadequate information dissemination. The study concludes that strengthening cooperative institutions, enhancing extension services, and reforming collateral requirements are essential for improving poultry farmers' access to formal credit in Delta State.