The Role of Road Transportation Mode in the Marketing of Agricultural Products (A Case Study of Abakaliki L.G.A. Ebonyi State)
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study will attempt to relate road transport to the economy as regards the role of a road transportation mode in marketing Agricultural product in Abakaliki L.G.A. Ebonyi State. The objectives include:
- To determine the extent to which road transportation system has affected the marketing of Agricultural products.
- To identify these factors that are directly have contributed to this.
- To offer useful recommendations with a view to making the marketing of Agricultural products in Abakaliki L.G.A. Ebonyi State, more successful and effective.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Agriculture which has earlier been defined as the art, Science and business of farming also encompasses all activities directed towards food production, including fishing and forestry.
Agriculture in Nigeria, and Abakaliki L.G.A. in particular is strictly subsistence where each farmer produces just enough from him and his family consumption. In subsistence farming, simple tools, and methods of production are used to satisfy the personal needs with a little or no proportion sold for cash. At the other extreme are more complex commercial firms involved in intensive systems of production mechanization and specialization with a very large proportion or all the produce sold for cash.
However, the importance of agriculture in the Nigerian economy cannot be fully appreciated without reference to some basic functions which it performs, for instance, it provides foods and fibre for the rapidly expending population with it’s growing income and wealth, and constitute a major soruce of foreign exchange and contributes significantly to the Gross National Product (GNP) of the country.
Agriculture not only provides food for the domestic economy, but also exportable raw materials from where foreign exchange earnings can be realized.
Generally, the contribution of agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 1977 so fiscal year was about 22.5% at current factor cost.
Realizing this, the federal government in many different ways has made efforts to ensure the availability of enough food for the growing population. This the government has demonstrated in different development plans and programmes for instance in the third (1975:80) and fourth (1981-85) National Development Plans, the sum of N2.2billion (or 6.9%), and N12.46 billion (or 15.2%) respectively were allocated to agriculture. The various past government have also paid much attention to agriculture through the launching of different programmes such as the operation feed the Nation (O.F.N) the Green Revolution, and the school to land programme, and lately, the directorate for foods, roads and Rural infrastructure.
To achieve the objectives of the various programmes, it was observe red that this is feasible through the provision of such basic infrastructures as feeder roads, housing, education etc. in the rural areas where the majority of the farmers live.
In Ebonyi State and Abakaliki L.G.A. these very basic infrastructure are poorly provided if any, and this causes distribution bottle Medes which in turn increase the rate of price inflation.
To this effect, the presence of these infrastructural facilities including good road network effects the overall development of the economy and other marketing of agricultural products in particular which in turn affects increased production.
As earlier noted, roads constitute in the structural transportation of Nigeria Agriculture. The importance of an efficient and effective road network in the marketing of agricultural products cannot therefore be overemphasized.
The relation between good transportation and ability to grow and market more food has been demonstrated by many researarchers, other researchers have also dealt with topical problems skin to the subject matter of the project report. One of such researchers is Onyebuchi .J.T. his research work was conducted on the marketing of palm product in Anambra State.
An evaluation of the pricing, distribution, processing and storage strategies. The general purpose of his study was to evaluate the marketing of palm produce in Anambra State with the following objectives.
- To evaluate the pricing strategies of the products in the area of study.
- To evaluate the distribution channels in use
- To evaluate the storage and processing methods employed.
- Finally, to make recommendation on how to increase the quantity of the products and reduce or dominated scarcity.
Based on the above objectives, he went further to state the following hypothesis:
- Low pricing is the cause of the decline and scarcity.
- There are for layer in distribution channel
- The palm produce decline because of availability of close substitutes
- More oil are very cut down each year while less are being planted.
- Procurement of fruits is laborious and time consuming. He administered questionnaires in selected towns of all the five senatorial zones of Anambra State, which were intended to findout the impact of pricing distribution, processing and storage on the marketing of their palm products. He used pie charts, bar charts and chi-squares to test his hypothesis, and findly come up with the following finding, which include:
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN:
Data used in this study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Data obtained from the secondary sources were used mostly in chapter two where related literature was reviewed.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Primary data were collected mainly from the questionnaires administered to the respondents. Oral interviews were also applied during the distribution and collection stages of the questionnaires.
SECONDARY SOURCES
Secondary data on the other hand were collection by the use of textbooks, magazines, newspapers, marketing and business journals as well as from papers presented by renowned scholars in different fields of business studies. Different libraries and rainisteries were also visited.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT USED
In the study the use of oral interviews was employed by the researcher to supplement information obtained from the administration of questionnaires.
In administering the questionnaires, the researcher guaranteed the respondents that the information elicited from them will be treated with strictest confidence and purely for the purpose meant. This was done so as to guard against bias and prejudice in the information obtained from them.
The questionnaire were designed and constructed in simple language since most of the population of study are illiterates. In most cases, the researcher had to more some explanations and clarification (without suggesting answers) and then complete the questionnaires this however posed a serious problem and created more cost than anticipated because more visits or calls had to be made in order to accomplish the required sample size.
However, ignoring all adds, a reasonable degree of success was achieved with regards to obtaining authentic and reliable information for the study.
POPULATION OF STUDY
By definition, this study was expected to cover all the rural and agricultural areas in Abakaliki L.G.A. However, for reasons earlier given. The study was limited only to few towns and village in Abakaliki L.G.A.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA.
The analysis and interpretation of the raw and available data of an investigation are the means by which the research problem are answered and the stated hypothesis tested. The purpose of this chapter therefore is to present, analyse and break down the available data into constituent parts.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
The purpose of this chapter is to present a summary of the findings based on the stated and tested hypotheses, and to highlight other findings of the study in order to enable meaningful conclusions to be drawn.
Finally useful recommendation are then made based on the findings.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
A brief summary of the results of the study as seen from the acceptance or rejection of the earlier stated hypothesis is made here.
HYPOTHESIS ONE
This hypothesis states that the role of road transport mode in Abakaliki effects the marketing of her agricultural products. It was tested by using pie-chart and chi-square statistical distribution as tools of analysis.
From the results obtained, it was observed that majority of the respondents hold strongly the view that the (poor) nature of road net-work in Abakaliki effects the marketing of her agricultural products.
This however is the view expressed by 132 out of 254 respondents, representing approximately 52% of total respondents. The implication of this finding is that the (poor) nature of the roads makes distribution and effective marketing of the agricultural products difficult from the rural farmers.
HYPOTHESIS TWO
This hypothesis states that inaccessibility reduces the incentive to produce. Again, this hypothesis was tested by the use of pie-chart and chi-square statistical distribution as tools of analysis.
From the results obtained, it was found that most of the respondents hold strongly the view that inaccessibility (caused by poor-state of the roads) reduces the incentive to producer. This findings also revealed that inaccessibility is a disincentive to higher productivity and as well kills enterprise on the part of the farmers.
This result is the view expressed by about of 120 respondents, representing approximately 80% of total respondents.
HYPOTHESIS THREE
This third hypothesis states that the cost of transportation affects the prices of agricultural products unlike in other cases, this hypothesis was tested by the use of 2-test analysis. The essence of using this tool of analysis is to establish whether any relationship exists between the (poor) nature of the roads and the prices of the products since the cost of transportation depends on the nature of the roads.
From the results obtained, it was found that majority of the respondents hold the view that the cost of transportation caused by the (poor) state of the roads cause increase in the prices of the agricultural product.
It can therefore be finally established that the nature of road transport network in Abakaliki L.G.A. to great extent affects the price of the agricultural products. This is because farmers and traders usually add up transportation cost to the prices charged for the products, thereby making the process high.
OTHER FINDING
Apart from the finding made through the test of hypotheses, other useful and reliable finding and observations were made during the course of the study. Such other findings are summarized as shown below
- That majority of those engaged in agricultural production and marketing are aged between 30 to 40 years and earn less than N200,000 per annum.
- That most of the people involved in agricultural production and marketing had little or no education and this affects their level of productivity.
- That apart from poor road facilities, inadequate vehicle facilities and road distance to consumers are other problems military against marketing of agricultural products in the local government area.
- That the poor state of the roads not only reducers the incentive to produce but also causes urbanization and creates conservations.
- That the prices of agricultural products is influenced not only by the poor road network but also by government tax and low demand for the product.
- That apart from transportation high cost of labour soil texture and lack of agricultural equipments for mechanized farming also affect production.
CONCLUSION
Generally, researches are conducted with a view to finding out better and New methods of improvement in all fields of human endeavour. This study, however has been concerned with determining the role of road transport mode in the marketing of agricultural product in Abakaliki L.G.A.
It is generally believed that production is never complete until what is produced gets to the consumers and for this purpose to be achieved goods must be made available to be consumers at the right place and time. This of course is the essence of transportation in marketing.
In the course of the study, efforts were made to identify those factors that directly or indirectly affect the effective marketing of agricultural products in Abakaliki L.G.A. prominent among the factors was poor road network which in the respondents views was the greatest problem hindering effective marketing of agricultural products in the L.G.A.
Since poor road network and lack of maintenance have been identified as major shortcomings in the marketing process of agricultural products, the incentive and enterprise to grow more food is therefore greatly reduced. As a result, farmers profits are reduced and a lot of wastage and spoilage due to poor or no storage facilities is experienced.
The implication of these is quite obvious, it causes dearth and scarcity of food stuffs especially in the urban markets. When this happens, the tendency is for the prices of the food stuffs to rise owing to increased costs of inputs like efforts and transportation costs. The modern food marketing system, and since transportation services are a necessary condition for effecting an efficient physical, distributor, distribution of agricultural products, one cannot therefore, but conclude that efficient and reliable of road transportation mode is desirous and indispensable in effective marketing of agricultural products in Nigeria and Abakaliki L.G.A. in particular.
RECOMMENDATIONS
As is normally said, the first step is solving any problem is the identification of the problem. Based on the identified problems and findings of the study, some useful recommendation are made all armed towards growing more food and enhancing effective marketing of agricultural product in Nigeria and Abakaliki L.G.A. in particular. This is with a view to achieving self sufficiency in food production.
In planning for agriculture in an area, it is absolutely essential that rural feeder roads are constructed to link such area and where the roads are in a terrible state of disrepair, be reconstructed or rehabilitated. This recommendation is to enhance easy evacuation of food product to the various areas of need.
Secondly, given that inaccessibility caused by poor state of the roads reduces the incentive to produce, it is highly recommended that the government makes efforts to improve upon the nature of the roads. On the alternative it could begin to subsidies the farmer’s cost of production and marketing. This will raise the morale and as well serve as an incentive to higher productivity.
Having established the fact that transportation cost increases the prices of the agricultural products, it is recommended that the government with the collective will of the people, establish areas where government vehicles can collect and transport them to the urban markets.
Consumers co-operatives, it is also suggested could be established to help lower the prices of these products.
In the hight of the above, it is also recommended that government invests heavily in rural feeder roads and again ensures adequate and proper maintenance to enable the road sustain in all seasons.
Since lack of agricultural equipments and adequate storage facilities are other problems affecting agricultural production the government with the most modern agricultural equipment, and also model and adequate storage facilities to check against wastage and spoilage.
Furthermore, it is recommended that planning of road network should not be left to civil on engineers alone, but should also actively involve the agricultural establishment to provide information on current and projected spatial agricultural production patterns within the context of the national food plan.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
TEXTS
- Idachaba F.S. (1985) Rural Infrastructure in Nigeria, FederalNdepartment of Rural Development. LONDON: Macmillan Press Limited.
- Kotler, P. (1995) Marketing of Agricultural product planning and control. 4th edition.
- Nwokoye G.N. (1981) Modern Marketing for Nigeria, London: Macmillan.
- Okereke, C.O. (1984) Road transport system and it’s impact on the marketing of Agricultural Products in Anambra State. Unpublished thesis, Department of Marketing University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
- Onyebuchi J.T. (1988) Marketing of Palm Product in Anambra State: An Evaluation of the pricing Distribution, processing and storage facilities unpublished thesis, Department of marketing, university of Nigeria Enugu Campus.