The main concern of this study was to ascertain the determinants of saving behaviour of rural cocoa farmers in Ikom Agricultural Zone of Cross River State. The specific objectives of the study were to; ascertain the methods of saving used by rural cocoa farmers in the area; examine the effectiveness of the saving methods used and, ascertain the variables that determine rural cocoa farmers’ saving behaviour. The study adopted a survey design, the population of the study comprised all registered cocoa farmers in the area. Two extension blocks (Etung and Ikom) were purposively selected for the study, and from the blocks, six communities were selected from each blocks, and three (300) hundred respondents were randomly sampled for the study. The result of analysis revealed that, rural farmers save money using their homes, boxes, holes, clay pots, cooperative and keeping in bams and with relatives etc. it was also observed that investing in project, buying of assets, bams and cooperative etc. were the most effective saving methods used by the farmers. The study found that the saving behaviour of rural cocoa farmers was determined by their age, education, marital status and income among others. The study therefore, recommended among other things, robust rural banking reforms to improve rural farmers savings.
Keywords: Cross River State, Ikom agricultural zone, Nigeria, rural cocoa farmers, saving behaviour
