Effect of Micro-Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa financial services on livelihood capital of beneficiaries in North West Province South Africa

Abstract Background This paper examined the effect of Micro-Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa financial services on livelihood capital of beneficiaries in North West Province South Africa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 280 respondents from a total of 344 beneficiaries. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from November 2015 to March 2016, which was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) with frequencies, percentages and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results The results of the study show that there has been a significant change on livelihood assets after MAFISA support. The proportion of access and ownership of livelihood assets increased for most of the indicators of the assets by at least 90% after MAFISA support. Wilcoxon signed-rank test results revealed that access to financial capital from banks improved substantially (Z scores = 15.556; p value = 0.000) and cooperatives (Z score = −11.305; p value = 0.000). Respondents are now able to associate and form some networks with others (Z score = −15.875; p value = 0.000), network with government (Z score = −15.811; p value = 0.000) and network with the private sector (Z score = −15.363; p value = 0.000). Conclusions The study concludes that access to microfinance leads to significant changes in financial, social, natural, human, physical and social livelihood assets after MAFISA support. The proportion of access and ownership of livelihood assets increased for most of the indicators of the assets by at least 90% after MAFISA support. Statistical significant differences confirmed the changes in the proportion of beneficiaries before and after MAFISA support such as access to financial capital from banks improved substantially and cooperatives, networking with others, network with government and network with the private sector as well as increasing their skills and competencies as well as their physical asset accumulation.