Utilization of agricultural information and technologies among women beneficiaries of microfinance credit in Masaka district, Uganda

Abstract

This study examined the role of microfinance institutions in access and utilization of agricultural information and technologies by women farmers in Masaka district in Uganda. It achieves this by identifying the information and technologies accessed and utilized by rural women farmers following credit acquisition, uncovering the barriers these women encounter in accessing credit from microfinance institutions, and analyzing the challenges they encounter when utilizing credit to enhance agricultural production and productivity through investments in information and technologies. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted where qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques were used during data collection. A sample of 271 participants (women) was included in the study, as were 8 key informants (MFI branch managers and loan officers). Data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and the thematic content analysis method for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results indicated that different information and technologies were accessed and utilized by rural women farmers, and the technologies included for coffee: fertilizers, traps to control pests, tractor for seedbed preparation, herbicides, and processing equipment. For bananas, technologies included improved tissue culture, banana plantlets, pest and disease control for bananas. Other information included marketing and value addition, prevailing market price, appropriate markets for the produce, quality inputs, how to deal with middlemen, where to buy technologies for value addition, and how to improve crop yield. Several social-economic, climatic, and structural constraints were faced by rural women farmers in their effort to utilize microfinance credit to boost their agricultural production and productivity. Social, economic, and geographical constraints were faced by women in accessing and utilizing agricultural information and technologies. It was recommended that microfinance institutions (MFIs) should endeavor to find out all information regarding various agricultural technologies and adopt other forms of lending that reduce the loan burden among women borrowers as per the agricultural stages, and this can increase information and technology access among women borrowers. It will also enhance the women borrowers‟ ability to pay back the loans they receive.