EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ANCHOR BORROWER PROGRAMME ON THE OUTPUT OF RICE FARMERS IN BILLIRI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF GOMBE STATE

This study assessed the impact of the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) on rice farmers' output in Billiri Local Government Area, Gombe State, Nigeria. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the difference-in-difference estimation model. Results showed that rice farming was dominated by male farmers with an average age of 47 years for participants and 48 years for non-participants. About 64.30% of participants received credit from ABP, 61.90% received seeds, and 53.57% received fertilizer. The difference-in-difference estimation had a p-value of 0.033, significant at 5%, indicating that ABP positively impacted rice farmers' output. Additionally, 64.71% of ABP participants cited consumer preference for foreign rice as a major challenge, while 61.63% of non-participants identified high fertilizer costs as a significant constraint. The study recommends enhancing public awareness about the benefits of consuming locally produced rice to boost support for local farmers. It also advises the Nigerian government to reassess fertilizer subsidies to help lower production costs for farmers.