This study aimed to conduct a program assessment of the Sikat Saka Program (SSP), a direct credit program for small farmers implemented by the Department of Agriculture and LandBank of the Philippines. Specifically, this assessment aimed to identify the characteristics of small farmer-beneficiaries of the program in terms of economic and farming characteristics, determine the level of satisfaction of small farmer-beneficiaries with the program design of the SSP, assess the perceived immediate impact of the Sikat Saka Program on the small farmer-beneficiaries, assess the extent of the program's barriers and issues experienced by small farmer-beneficiaries, test the level of satisfaction, perceived immediate impact, and extent of the program's barriers and issues on certain characteristics of small farmer-beneficiaries, and propose policy recommendations based on the results and findings.This study employed a quantitative study and survey research. As an end-borrower level assessment, this study focused on the end-borrowers or the beneficiaries of the program. Small farmer-beneficiaries, the end-borrower as respondents is defined in R.A. 7607 as those "natural persons dependent on small-scale subsistence farming as their primary source of income and whose sale, barter or exchange of agricultural products do not exceed a gross value of one hundred eighty thousand pesos (P 180,000) per annum based on 1992 constant prices." A survey questionnaire was developed by the researchers wherein items were derived by reviewing different literature and related studies, especially those published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and Agricultural Credit Policy Council.It was found that for economic characteristics, small palay farmers have large gross household income with few other sources, frequently borrow from the SSP, provided land title as a collateral requirement, and availed a large production loan amount. For farming characteristics, farmers have long farming experience, own small land areas for farming, and use hybrid seedlings. Small palay farmers are highly satisfied with the design and features of the Sikat Saka program including its loan features and delivery process while moderate in eligibility criteria and requirements. Small palay farmers are highly impacted by the Sikat Saka program including farm productivity and financial accessibility and inclusion. Small palay farmers experienced high barriers and issues in availing of the Sikat Saka program specifically in management takeover, loan repayment, and related demand barriers. When compared in terms of economics and characteristics, small palay farmers’ satisfaction with the program design of SSP specifically in eligibility criteria and requirements is significantly different when compared according to the farmer’s frequency of borrowing and length of farming experience, and delivery process also has received a different level of satisfaction when compared according to the farmer’s land area for farming. As to their perceived immediate impact of the program, farm productivity is perceived differently compared according to the farmer’s gross household income and production loan amount, and financial accessibility and inclusion were also perceived differently when compared according to the farmer’s sources of income and length of farming experience. Moreover, their experienced barriers and issues in loan repayment are significantly different when compared according to the farmer’s source/s of income, as well as different in management takeover when compared according to the farmers’ land area for farming
