An analysis of the perception of smallholder vegetable farmers towards agricultural finance in Matibidi Village, Thaba Chweu Local Municipality

The study was aimed at analysing the perception of smallholder vegetable farmers towards agricultural finance in Matibidi village, Thaba Chweu Local Municipality in Mpumalanga Province. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 51 smallholder vegetable farmers using a census approach. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the first objective of the study which was to identify and describe the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder vegetable farmers in Matibidi village. Binary Logistic Regression Model was used to address the second objective which was to determine the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder vegetable farmers in Matibidi Village and their perception towards agricultural finance. The study revealed that the average age of the smallholder vegetable farmers was 46 years. The population of smallholder vegetable farmers was dominated by males with a proportion of 51%. It was also found that that majority of the smallholder vegetable farmers had a negative perception towards agricultural finance. Most of the smallholder vegetable farmers (39.2%) were married and a higher proportion (47.1%) of the population had secondary education as the highest qualification. Gender (P<0.013), access to extension services (P<0.016), access to the market (P<0.025), access to agricultural finance (P<0.072) and access to agricultural information (P<0.100) are variables that had a relationship with the perception of smallholder vegetable farmers towards agricultural finance. Based on the results the study recommends that more females should be encouraged to participate in vegetable production, the dissemination of agricultural information should be increased, and information systems or channels should be strengthened.