Özet:

This study analyzed the awareness creation by extension agents to bridge gender gap in loan acquisition, utilization and repayment in broiler production in Cross River State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 360 respondents from 10 villages in 10 Local Government Areas. Thirty-six respondents were selected from each of the selected villages through simple random sampling technique. Data obtained from the study were analyzed using descriptive statistic. This study showed that 64.17% of broiler farmers in the study area were male and 35.83% were female. This implies the gender ratio in Cross River State was 1.79 (men) : 1 (women). This study showed that increased access of women to credit through banks/ micro-finance banks, it is suggested that extension service delivery has positive impact on women in loan acquisition, utilization and repayment by women broiler farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria. This study also showed the various forms of assistance given by extension agents to loan beneficiaries. The extension agents and bank staff take interest in monitoring the loan utilization and repayment as reported by most (77.22%) of the respondents. Provision of broiler farmers’ needs was also another form of assistance (training, monitoring/evaluation and technical assistance as reported by them had 42.50, 5.00 and 21.94%, respectively. It was recommended that micro-credit institutions should be sited in rural areas were more women and men broiler farmers reside. Micro-credit institutions should monitor and assess the repayment ability of borrowers on time with a view to intervene at critical periods to prevent loan defaults. In Cross River State, some female farmers do not have collateral, but needs loan for investment in poultry production; women broiler farmers are encouraged to form or joint existing cooperative groups to enable them obtain loans from banks for expansion of their farms. Beside that extension agents should train broiler farmers to use available resources efficiency and adopt new technologies to ensure increase productivity and loan repayment.

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