Small farmer credit in Kenya

The first one is entitled "A Survey of Farm Credit in Kenya" by G.F. Donaldson and J.D. von Pischke. This survey of farm credit in Kenya is presented in two parts. Part I reviews credit provision and requirements in the farm sector and discusses the related policy issues and strategies. Part II details the features of the major institutions and programs providing farm credit in Kenya, including their terms, procedures, and portfolio performance. The second report is entitled "The Vihiga Maize Credit Program" by Peter Weisel, et al. The Vihiga Maize Credit Scheme was initiated in 1971 and continued during the 1972 maize production cycle. During 1971 some 76 farmers signed loan agreements to receive inputs in kind (fertilizer, hybrid seed and insecticide), of which 63 utilized the loan. In 1972, the program was expanded to include 383 farmers and, according to data collected in July 1972, 320 had drawn on the credit. Along with this loan package a system was devised to disseminate to the farmers technical information concerning the inputs. It utilized the existing Government agricultural extension service, focusing in 1971 on individual instruction to the loanees by extension agents and attempting to modify this approach slightly in 1972 to utilize methods of group instruction (primarily through farmer field days).