Promoting Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria - The Case of the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF): 1981 to 2014

摘要

The Nigerian agriculture landscape is dominated with sparsely scattered small holder farmers who have huge potential for high productivity. The ACGS Fund was established to enhance the purveyance of credit to this critical but high risk segment of the agriculture workforce. This paper reviewed the activities of the ACGS Fund and its contribution to increasing agricultural productivity in Nigeria. A one-way ANOVA without replication was used to compare the means between and within the factors being analysed. The one-way ANOVA was used in establishing increase in uptake of loans within a given category of borrower and between borrower categories; and within a given loan limit and between loan limits. In addition, a two-way ANOVA with replication was used to study the effects of period (year group) and purpose of loan, loan size and purpose of loan, and year group and loan size on the disbursement of ACGS loan. It was established in the findings of this paper that year group, purpose of loan and loan size had significant effect on the disbursement of ACGS loan. More so, the ACGS Fund assisted small holder farmers in accessing small loans for their farm business through the 75% guarantee. The paper also provided empirical evidence to show that the productivity of farmers under the Scheme was improved thereby reducing poverty level and creating jobs.