Access to agricultural extension, credit and markets among small‐scale farmers in southern Zambia

Abstract

This article used survey data to determine the extent to which small‐scale farm households in the Choma district of Zambia's southern province have access to agricultural extension services, credit and markets. The findings show that the majority of the sample households had access to extension and credit services. They also showed that the resource base or wealth of the households — as manifested by farm size, livestock ownership and human capital or management capacity (the household head's training in agriculture) — is a significant factor when accounting for differential access to extension and credit. On the other hand, study findings suggest that farm households are facing problems with marketing their produce under the liberalised agricultural marketing system. Based on these findings, the article discusses recommendations for providing solutions to some of the problems affecting small‐scale farmers in accessing production services.

Notes

Respectively, Special Research Fellow, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education, University of Zambia; Director, Centre for International Programs, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; and Associate Professor, School of Rural Extension Studies, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.