Bridging The Commercialization Gap: An Analysis of Barriers to Market Orientation and Participation Among Smallholder Rice Farmers in Nigeria

Yıl 2026, Cilt: 23 Sayı: 2, 469 - 485, 16.03.2026

Ikenna Ukwuaba , Benjamin Okpukpara , Ridwan Mukaila , Emmanuel Ejiofor , Sunday Ukwuaba , Angela Igweh , Ifeyinwa Ukwuaba , Victoria Okpukpara

https://doi.org/10.33462/jotaf.1619234

https://izlik.org/JA58PT92XB

Öz

Smallholder rice farmers' limited market access and share have been linked to weak market orientation and participation decisions. Therefore, this study examines the factors that hinder the commercialization of smallholder rice farmers in Southeast Nigeria. Primary data from 288 randomly selected smallholder rice farmers were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the market orientation index, and the market participation index. The socioeconomic profile shows that the majority (68.8%) were male, with a mean age of about 48 years and a moderate mean education of 10 years; the mean farming experience, household size, farm size, and monthly income were 22 years, seven persons, 1.64 hectares, and ₦66,631.94 ($95.19), respectively. Results on the use of purchased inputs showed that only 41.3% purchased rice seedlings, while all (100%) farmers purchased and used fertilizer, herbicides, and insecticides. Results on market orientation and participation revealed that respondents were moderately market-oriented (index of 0.52), while the market participation index indicated a semi-commercialized status (index of 0.73). Significant constraints to market orientation included the high cost of inputs (x̄ = 3.35), land fragmentation (x̄ = 2.95), lack of capital (x̄ = 2.80), long distance to market (x̄ = 2.76), and the land tenure system (x̄ = 2.63). In contrast, significant constraints that slowed market participation and access included poor road networks (x̄ = 3.36), long distance to market (x̄ = 3.31), lack of market information (x̄ = 3.29), lack of access to credit facilities (x̄ = 3.01), inadequate storage facilities (x̄ = 2.96), poor transportation system (x̄ = 2.88), and insufficient institutional support (x̄ = 2.78). Thus, the study calls for increased subsidies on inputs and improved market access to optimize and accelerate smallholder commercialization.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Commercialisation , Market access , Land fragmentation , Market barriers , Transactional cost , Smallholders

Etik Beyan

There is no need to obtain ethics committee approval for this study, as the data were collected from adult farmers who willingly provided the necessary information during the survey.

Teşekkür

The authors are grateful to the members of the postgraduate committee of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for their constructive criticism, which sharpened this work.

Kaynakça

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