Assessment of the Role of Agro-Dealers in Input Distribution in Benue State

This study assesses the role of agro-dealers in agricultural input distribution and their effectiveness in reaching smallholder farmers in Benue State, North Central Nigeria. Agro-dealers serve as the last-mile link between input manufacturers, distributors, and farm-level users, making their geographic coverage, product range, and business practices critical to input system performance. Benue State's large farming population and diverse agro-ecological zones create significant agro-dealer market opportunities and challenges. This study uses a survey design, collecting data from 80 licensed agro-dealers in Makurdi, Gboko, and Otukpo alongside 180 farmers who are their customers. Agro-dealer coverage, product availability, pricing practices, advisory service quality, and credit extension to farmers are assessed. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are applied. Findings reveal that agro-dealers are concentrated in urban and peri-urban areas, with very limited presence in communities more than 20 kilometres from local government headquarters. Product ranges are generally adequate for major staple crop inputs but weak for vegetable and horticultural inputs. Credit extension to farmers by agro-dealers is uncommon, limiting input access for capital-constrained smallholders. The study concludes that agro-dealer network gaps significantly limit input access for remote Benue State farmers. It recommends rural agro-dealer development incentives, credit guarantee schemes, and digital ordering platforms to expand coverage.

Keywords: agro-dealers, input distribution, Benue State, smallholder farmers, agricultural inputs.