Journal of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences

Social Capital and Access to Credit among Cassava Farming Households in Ogun State, Nigeria
Iyanda, J.O. , Afolami, C.A., Obayelu, A.E., Ladebo , O.J.

Abstract
The Nigerian Government Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) has its core thrust in increased cassava production for economic development. However, past efforts were bedeviled by constraints amongst which access to credit is chief; hence, this study examined the effect of social capital on access to credit among cassava farming households (CFHs) in Ogun State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty CFHs were surveyed using a multi-stage sampling technique. Analyses included descriptive statistics and regression technique. Social capital dimensions considered are density of membership index, cash contribution index, labour index, decision making index, meeting attendance index, and heterogeneity index and the obtained indices were 49.5%, 35.5%, 51%, 57.3%, 55.1%, and 48.3% respectively. Some 44.2% and 35% of respondents sourced capital from personal savings and rotating savings & credit associations respectively, and the mean credit granted represented 45.5% of CFHs’ credit needs. Logistic regression analysis of access to credit revealed that increasing values of decision making index, age, and payback period correspond to increasing odds of having access to credit. Conversely, increasing values of heterogeneity index and household size correspond to decreasing odds of having access to credit. Policy directed at investment in social capital development that enhances access to credit is recommended.

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