1Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics (CCPC Scheme), Coimbatore - 641 003.
2Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 641 003.
*The paper is based on the Ph.D. thesis of the first author under the guidance of second author, submitted to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore in the year 2006.
Factors determining participation of women in microfinance programme in Tamil Nadu have been identified following the multi-stage purposive and random sampling technique and selecting Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram districts for the study. It has been observed that socially backward, landless and marginal farm households participate more in this programme. Possession of livestock and consumer goods by the member households has been found to deter the joining of group. However, the number of households having informal borrowings, especially from moneylenders has been recorded to be higher among the members before joining the group. Analysis of determinants of women's participation in microfinance programme using probit model has revealed that the age of women and value of productive assets other than land have a significant negative influence on their participation. However, social backwardness, indebtedness and presence of other microcredit programmes in the same or nearby villages have a significant positive influence on women's participation in this programme.
