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EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL OF CASSAVA PRODUCE IN UMUAHIA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

This study focused on effective distribution channel of cassava produce in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. It has objectives of identifying the different forms of distribution channel, revenue generation to farmers and spoilage of cassava produce. The two main sources of data collection were primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from a sample of 171 respondents’ cassava farmers using questionnaire, which was on a four-point scale. The data collected for the study were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics used are percentages, frequency tables, means and standard deviation in answering the research questions while the inferential statistics used was Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) to test the hypotheses. All the hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between the forms of distribution channel and marketing of cassava produce (r =.825, P<.05), that there is a significant relationship between effective distribution of cassava produce and revenue generation to farmers (r =.916, P<.05) and that there is a significant relationship between effective distribution channel and spoilage of cassava produce (r =.813, P<.05). The study therefore, concludes that effective distribution requires a high degree of management skill, as it will be one of the major components in achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Finally, it was recommended that government should assist the rural dwellers in providing enough funds to facilitate the distribution of farming and marketing of cassava produce as it helps for community development and alleviation of poverty. Again, that new equipment should be provided for them; especially, the mechanized ones that reduce prolonged labour hours. Farmers should also be encouraged to form associations so as to enable them build social capital, pool resources together and obtain loans and credits easily from financial institutions to enable them distribute their cassava produce effectively regardless of the channel used.