Unlocking Rural Agricultural Markets in Adamawa State, Nigeria: Examining Market Access, Smallholder Farmers’ Welfare and Household Food Security

This study examined agricultural market access, smallholder farmers’ welfare and household food security in Adamawa State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional explanatory research design was adopted across six selected Local Government Areas (LGAs), namely Mubi North, Michika, Yola North, Fufore, Numan and Demsa. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and complemented with secondary data from the Nigeria Living Standards Survey (NLSS) 2018/19 and relevant official statistical reports. The findings revealed that agricultural market access had a positive and statistically significant relationship with household food security. The research instrument demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.856. The regression model was statistically significant and explained 46.4% of the variation in farmers’ welfare and household food-security outcomes. Agricultural market access, household income, farm size, education, access to agricultural credit and extension services were positively associated with the outcomes, whereas household size was negatively associated with them. The study concludes that improved agricultural market access, supported by adequate financial services, extension support and productive resources, can contribute to enhanced smallholder farmers’ welfare and household food security. The study recommends strengthening rural market infrastructure, expanding agricultural extension services and improving access to affordable and flexible agricultural credit for smallholder farmers in Adamawa State.