ABSTRACT

Agriculture is a fundamental pillar of Nigeria’s economy, yet farmers continue to face significant challenges in accessing fair markets due to the dominance of intermediaries. Traditional agricultural marketplaces often result in price manipulation, unfair profit distribution, and restricted access to urban consumers. To address these inefficiencies, this project proposes the development of a decentralized agricultural marketplace platform that eliminates middlemen, allowing farmers to sell directly to consumers through a simple and accessible system.

The platform is designed using Next.js for the frontend and Node.js for the backend, ensuring a seamless user experience. Unlike conventional e-commerce platforms, the system does not rely on secure online payments or logistics integration, keeping it simple and accessible. Instead, customers contact farmers directly via phone numbers or USSD, enabling farmers with limited internet access or without smartphones to still participate in the digital marketplace. Consumers can browse available agricultural products, filter by categories, and place orders by reaching out to farmers directly.

This study also explores how COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of online agricultural marketplaces, underscoring the necessity of digital solutions in agriculture. By reducing reliance on intermediaries, the platform empowers farmers with better pricing control and improves market accessibility for both rural farmers and urban consumers.

Through a comparative analysis of existing agricultural marketplace models, this research highlights the benefits of decentralization in fostering transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity within Nigeria’s agricultural sector. The proposed platform offers a scalable and sustainable approach to bridging the gap between farmers and consumers, ultimately contributing to a more equitable agricultural ecosystem.