ISSN 2360-798X
Abstract
This study analysed sugarcane value chain actors, their functions, and their existing linkages in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The study specifically described the socio-economic characteristics of sugarcane value chain actors, identified their respective roles, and examined the strength of linkages among them. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 400 respondents, comprising 160 producers, 80 processors, 80 retailers, 40 input suppliers, and 40 wholesalers from major sugarcane-producing local government areas. Primary data was collected using structured interview schedules and analysed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that the value chain is predominantly male-dominated (100%), with most actors (76%) falling within the economically active age range of 31–50 years. A majority (70%) of input suppliers and (71.3%) of farmers had between 11 and 20 years of experience in sugarcane-related activities. Educational attainment was generally low, as 50.6% of farmers had only Qur’anic education, while 70% of input suppliers and 68% of processors attained at least primary or secondary education. About 52.5% of suppliers and 71.3% of farmers cultivated or operated on less than 2 hectares, reflecting smallholder dominance. 65% of suppliers made more than ₦300,000 a year, and 53.8% of farmers made more than ₦400,000 a year. Among processors, 68% operated manually, 60% lacked access to formal credit facilities, and 72% of retailers relied on informal marketing channels. Furthermore, 70% of value chain actors did not belong to any cooperative society, limiting their access to credit, market information, and collective bargaining power. Linkages across the chain were generally weak, informal, and poorly coordinated, resulting in inefficiencies in production, processing, and marketing. Analysis of the value chain revealed six major categories of actors: input suppliers, farmers, processors, traders (collectors, wholesalers, and retailers), and indirect actors such as extension agents, transporters, financial institutions, and government agencies. Input suppliers provide seeds, fertilisers, and agrochemicals; farmers handle cultivation and harvesting; processors transform raw cane into sugar, ethanol, and molasses; traders (collectors, wholesalers, and retailers) ensure market linkages; while indirect actors facilitate technical, financial, and policy support. The linkage analysis shows that interactions among actors are largely informal, weakly coordinated, and dominated by small-scale transactions, limiting efficiency and competitiveness in the sugarcane sector. The study concludes that the sugarcane value chain in Kebbi State is constrained by low levels of mechanisation, weak institutional linkages, and inadequate access to finance and markets. It recommends strengthening cooperative societies, improving access to affordable credit and modern processing technologies, and establishing functional market linkages to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainable development of the sugarcane sector.
Keywords: Sugarcane value chain, Kebbi State, Value addition, Institutional linkages, Socio-economic characteristics