Abstract

This study evaluates Socioeconomic Factors Influencing the Participation of Rice Farmers in Value Chain Development Programme in Southeast Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers; identified available VCDP capacity-building interventions; determined the extent of participation and its determinants and examined the constraints to implementation of the programme. A multistage sampling procedure was employed, and primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews. Secondary data were sources through baseline survey data of the programme. Analytical tools used included descriptive statistics and ordered probit regression. The results revealed that most beneficiaries were female (58.4%), dominated with secondary school graduates of (41.6%) within the active age range of 37–46 years, with an average age of 42 years and 17 years of farming experience. The average farm size was 2.32 ha, Farmers participated widely in capacity-building programmes, notably good agronomic practices (85.8%), financial literacy (83.0%), and extension services (77.9%), which significantly enhanced productivity and market access. Ordered probit regression showed that sex, marital status, and education increased participation, while age, distance to training venues, poor access to credit, and low relevance of training reduced participation. Major constraints to implementation included late approval of annual work plans (100%), poor staff incentives (68%), inadequate project vehicles (64%), and bureaucratic bottlenecks (44%). The study concluded that age, sex, marital status, education and distance from home to training venue were the major determinants of the rice farmers participations in VCDP in Southeast Nigeria and there were disparities in extent of participation reflecting socioeconomic and contextual factors. Revealed structural and managerial challenges. The study therefore recommended that concerted effort should be integrated to enhance the alignment of VCDP interventions with farmers' specific needs of the farmers. Also, IFAD-VCDP should conduct their capacity-building trainings closer to farmers or provide stipend to beneficiaries to enable them participate fully in the programme and provide context-specific strategies to reduce bureaucratic delays, and improve sustainability mechanisms for VCDP interventions.