Factors Influencing the Accessibility of Anchor Borrower's Programme Fund among Rice Farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study examined the factors influencing the accessibility of the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) Fund among Rice Farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Specifically, it describes the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, assesses the operation of ABP, and identifies some constraints encountered by the rice farmers in accessing the ABP fund. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation. In contrast, binary logistic regression was used to determine the socio-economic factors influencing the accessibility of ABP funds among rice farmers. The findings revealed that the mean age of the rice farmers was 43.4 years with male rice farmers (58.3%) forming the majority. About 60 per cent were married, with a mean household size of approximately five persons. The majority (88.3%) had formal education, and the mean year of farm experience was 17.5 years. Some of the operations of the ABP are the supply of inputs like seedlings as submitted by 81.7 per cent of the respondents and credit source from ABP by all (100%). The majority (74.2%) sold their products personally. The result of the binary logistic regression model shows that sex, marital status, household size, years of formal education, farming experience membership of social organization and annual income had a positive and significant relationship with the accessibility of ABP funds. The primary constraints encountered by the rice farmers were poor access to credit, poor quality equipment, poor service and poor administration of the program. It was recommended that Government should provide incentive measures to the rice farmers that will reduce the effect of dwindling market prices of agricultural commodities, especially Rice.