Analysis of agricultural credit in development projects: a case study of the Southern highlands project in Tanzania
| dc.contributor.author | Mwachang’a, Sikauka Mwallu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-05-29T06:52:05Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-05-29T06:52:05Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2000 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study is an evaluation of the role of the Southern Highlands Extension and Rural Financial Services Project (SHERFSP) in extending credit to smallholder farmers in Southern Tanzania. It also assesses the impact of such credit on agricultural production of smallholder farmers in the period 1995/96 to 1997/98. Data for the study were collected from a sample of 120 smallholder farmers from twelve villages in Iringa rural and Mufindi districts in Iringa region. Secondary data were collected from SHERFSP to assess its performance. Results of the study reveal that SHERFSP uses a group lending approach to extend credit to smallholder fanners. Fanner’s socio-economic factors that influence acquisition of credit from the SHERFSP are average cash from crop sales, average cost from hired labour, expenditure on inputs, average cash from off-farm activities and farmers’ awareness about existence of SHERFSP. An assessment of the impact of credit was made by comparing users and non-users of SHERFSP credit. Results show that there is a significant difference in farm input use, farm outputs and farm income levels between borrowers and non-borrowers. This implies that the acquisition of credit from SHERFSP had an impact on farmers. Those who obtained credit used higher levels of inputs, had higher farm output and farm income. Major problems encountered by smallholder farmers in procuring and use of credit are delays in the delivery of inputs, inadequate amounts of the loans received, poor supervision and | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | SUA-VLIR Programme | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/6747 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Credit Development | |
| dc.subject | Agriculture analysis | |
| dc.subject | Southern Highlands Extension | |
| dc.subject | Rural Financial Services Project (SHERFSP) | |
| dc.title | Analysis of agricultural credit in development projects: a case study of the Southern highlands project in Tanzania | |
| dc.type | Article |