دراسة تقييمية لدور بنك المزارع التمويلى والإرشادي لإحداث تنمية ريفية مستدامة

Abstract

The study was designed to evaluate the role of the Farmer's Bank for Investment and Rural Development in terms of its contribution to the provision of integrated finance and extension services as a means for achieving its sustainable rural development goals. The literature reviews in the study covered rural development concepts, historical development of agricultural services in Sudan, agricultural extension approaches and agricultural finance. The study contributed a focused review of the farmer's bank for Investment and Rural Development to reveal its principal objectives and to highlight its agricultural finance and extension activities. Special attention was given to assessment of the effectiveness of the Farmer's Bank's experimental integrated Agricultural Services Center and the bank's component in the White Nile Agricultural Services Project as models for rural development. A structured interview schedule was used for obtaining primary date for purposes of the study from 40 respondents residing in rural areas in Khartoum State, and in a neighboring rural area in Gezira State, that were selected to represent the beneficiaries of the Farmer's Bank finance services. Frequently distribution and correlation analysis procedures were employed in data analysis. The study results revealed that finance supply engagement with the Farmer's Bank for Investment and Rural Development are motivated by inability of rural producers to self-finance their projects. "Murabaha" was found to be the most prevalent form of finance. Awareness about other available forms of finance was found to be low. The agricultural sector in the studies areas was found to be the one in most need for finance services, and banks were found to constitute the principal suppliers of agricultural inputs. The role of the Farmer's Bank's in its integrated Agricultural Services Center was found to be largely restricted to input supply services. The extension component of the Center was found to be weak. The Farmer’s Bank’s follow-up services to loan beneficiaries were found to be defective or lacking. The bank was successful in its efforts to attract savings, and it has contributed to economic improvements through supply of finance services. Loan repayment by beneficiaries was found to be positively associated with the Farmer's Bank involvement in local development projects. It is suggested by the study that improvement of the Farmer's Bank's extension role calls for closer coordination between the bank and research and extension institutions. The establishment of a Rural Development Department in the Farmer's Bank will facilitate that needed integration. Use of mobile bank units, and the delivery of training programs for bank officials (to enhance their agricultural extension and rural development capabilities), and for rural producers (to raise their awareness about the different forms of finance services) are recommended by the study