The contribution of commercial banks and retail banks credits to crop farming productivity: A case study of Kongwa district in Dodoma, Tanzania

Abstract

Using field data as well as secondary information, this study aimed at reviewing the operational mechanism of the existing formal and informal credit arrangements in Kongwa district in Dodoma region with the view to assess the performance in serving micro-enterprise sector with particular reference to crop farmers. The study aimed to examine the contribution of commercial banks and retail banks credits to crop farming productivity in Kongwa district. The study used cross-sectional survey research design adopting both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The researcher used a sample of 120 respondents randomly selected households in some villages of Kongwa district. The analysis of findings was done using SPSS version computer software and Microsoft Excel. The findings reveal that the existing formal bank (National Microfinance Bank-NMB) in Kongwa District completely does not provide credits to crop farmers. This was contrary to the fact that the government institutions and donor-funded development projects extended piecemeal credit services that were made available to crop farmers. Available evidence shows that services rendered by commercial and retail banks were inadequate, at best targeted to specific groups and to the promotion of specific technologies. Generally, the performance of most of these micro- credit banks (in Dodoma region) was not encouraging. Poor loan recovery is also a big constraint to most of these schemes. The results suggest that there is a need to address key factors that inhibit access to credit by farmers that would facilitate alleviation of poverty in the country.