Study of the Effect of Road Infrastructure on Market Access for Farmers in Taraba State

Rural road infrastructure is a prerequisite for farmers accessing markets and receiving fair prices for their produce, and examining its effects in Taraba State provides evidence for agricultural infrastructure investment in North East Nigeria. This study examined the effect of road infrastructure quality on market access and farm-gate prices for smallholder farmers in Jalingo, Wukari, and Sardauna Local Government Areas, Taraba State. A cross-sectional survey of 240 smallholder farmers was conducted. Data covered travel time to nearest market, road surface quality, post-harvest losses, farm-gate prices received, and transport costs as a percentage of produce value. OLS regression and correlation analysis were applied. Results showed that farmers in communities with sealed road access received farm-gate prices 32.4 percent higher on average than those with unsealed track access. Post-harvest losses were 2.7 times higher in areas with poor road access due to delayed transport and vehicle unavailability. Transport costs consumed 18.6 percent of produce value on average, rising to 31.2 percent in poor-access areas. Female farmers were disproportionately affected by poor road access due to lower vehicle ownership. The study concludes that road infrastructure deficiency significantly erodes farm profitability and discourages commercial production in Taraba State. Recommendations include prioritising agricultural feeder road construction and maintenance in Taraba State, establishing farmers' cooperatives to pool transportation resources, and linking road investment to agricultural value chain development in targeted production zones.

Keywords: road infrastructure, market access, farm-gate prices, Taraba State, agricultural economics