Expert develops digital marketplace to connect rural farmers

A Nigerian agricultural economist, Solomon Odiase, has unveiled plans to develop a digital agro-allied marketplace to link rural farmers directly to consumers and vendors.

The platform, he said, will digitise the buying and selling of farm produce and value-added products, allowing users to browse nearby stores, compare prices, and place orders online.

According to Odiase, in a statement, the platform is aimed at curbing arbitrary pricing and long haggling associated with traditional markets.

He added that the platform is designed to eliminate multiple layers of middlemen, strengthen price transparency, and boost the earnings of rural farmers.

He said, “For me, it’s not just a business venture; it’s a step towards building fair, transparent, and efficient food systems that benefit everyone.

“Our goal is to close information gaps and reduce price distortions. Technology must bridge the gap between farm and table.”

Odiase, a pricing and supply-chain manager, said the innovation was informed by his firsthand experience living in a rural community where he saw how food producers often remain the poorest participants in the agricultural value chain despite rising urban food prices.

“I noticed that the very people who grew our food struggled the most financially,” he said.

“Multiple layers of middlemen captured most of the profits.”

He explained that his model involves sourcing directly from farmers and standardising pricing through weight-based measurement to ensure fairness for both producers and consumers. “Every customer pays equally for the same quantity and quality. The initiative will help farmers secure steady demand and better income,” he added.

He identified a lack of reliable rural-level data and initial distrust from farmers as major hurdles facing digital agriculture systems in Nigeria.

“Many decisions are still based on estimates. But once farmers experience better prices and faster payments, trust grows,” he said.

He stressed that agricultural technology will play a major role in driving food security across Africa by democratising access to markets, finance, and information.

“Digital platforms will connect farmers to markets and financial services and build more inclusive food systems,” he added.

Odiase mentioned that his long-term vision is to create a technology-driven agricultural ecosystem that rewards farmers fairly and improves food affordability for consumers.

“My goal is to build a transparent market where technology and economics work hand in hand to benefit everyone,” he said.