INFLUENCE OF GOOD ROADS ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION OF COOPERATIVE RURAL FARMERS IN BADAGRY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE

This study investigates how cooperative rural farmers' poverty can be reduced by having good roads in Badagry Local Government of Lagos State. A good road is essential for business and the timely marketing of agricultural products. In the study, a descriptive survey research design was used. In the study area, 120 farmers provided information via a structured questionnaire that was administered using a multistage sampling technique. The data were analyzed using multiple regression, frequency, percentage, and other inferential and descriptive statistics. Results show that 79.2% of roads used by the farmers were untarred while 20.8% were tarred. 28.3% of the farmers surveyed had a per capita expenditure on transportation below N20,001, while 42.5% fell within the range of N20,001 and N40,000. 76.7% spent more than N5,000 on transportation which invariably affected their profit. The reduction in poverty was positively impacted by road accessibility (t = 3.611; p = 0.000), as cooperative farmers would benefit from improved sales and profitability. The findings demonstrated a noteworthy positive correlation between road accessibility and quality of transportation and agricultural productivity and marketing (t = 5.321 for road accessibility and 6.881 for transportation quality). The low p-values (0.000) further suggest a robust and statistically significant relationship. These findings highlight the importance of well-developed road networks and transportation services in rural areas. As a result, it is advised that better road infrastructure boosts quality transportation services, supports and strengthens agriculture, and promotes strong relationships between cooperative farmers and carriers.