THE EFFECT OF MICROFINANCE BANKS SERVICES ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF MEMBERS OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE

Thesis Abstract

            ABSTRACT 

The study examined the Effect of Microfinance Services on Agricultural Production of Members of Cooperative Societies in Awka South local Government Area of Anambra State. The study provides empirical evidence on the socioeconomic characteristics of the members of the agricultural cooperatives, the extent to which microfinance banks have provided financial and non financial needs of the farmer, to determine if a relationship exist between the levels of access to microfinance financial and non financial services and the productivity of the farmer members and the challenges farmers face in accessing services of microfinance banks. Three (3) microfinance banks and seventeen (17) agricultural cooperatives were selected using multi stage random sampling as well as judgmental non random sampling. Descriptive statistics and t-test was used to analyze the data collected. The results obtained from the t-test revealed that microfinance banks have provided financial and non-financial needs of farmer cooperative members (p<0.05)and that there is a significant relationship between level of Microfinance banks services and productivity of farmer cooperative members and in Awka South LGA of Anambra State (p<0.05). Therefore, based on the findings, it was therefore recommended that Microfinance banks in Awka South LGA of Anambra State provide cooperative members with training on modern agricultural techniques for easy and effective production and also proper advice should be given to cooperative farmer members on how best to operate their farm activities