1.1 Introduction
An online system for linking farmers to buyers is a software that promotes farm products and livestock through farm product advertisement. Farm business has different impact on different people. The software packaged of the proposed system contains a lot of files and records the file that was designed in details. These files include sales, files which each of this record consist of files like varieties of farm products and attributes such as; quantity, price, weight, sub-total, total amount, and grand total of the farm product. Farm business has different impact on different people. The relevance of farm business is seen in different ways by different scholars in the profession. Agricultural marketing incorporates all exercises which enhance value to agricultural products as they move from rural areas of agricultural production to ultimate urban areas for consumption. A successful and productive marketing system is required in order to ensure fair returns to farmers but unfortunately, little consideration is paid to this sector across Nigeria.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Agriculture sector in Nigeria is considered a major contributor to economic growth and development. This sector not only meets food demands of population but also provides raw material for industry besides providing surplus for exports. Despite the face this sector has witnessed many high points and low points in recent years, overall growth has remained satisfactory. This sector has a proven great potential to support the nation’s economy both now and in the future if due consideration is given to solve rising issues. Reasonable agriculture growth and improvement rely on how concerns various partners particularly farmers who are facing several risks in farm production and marketing of their farm produce, are adequately addressed. Regularly, farmers need to bear value reduction in their produce due to poor infrastructure and post-harvest practices. Moreover, frequent food surpluses and deficiencies have featured the need to modernize marketing system framework so that goal situations can be handled. Marketing can be defined and comprehended in various ways but commonly it is recognized as a place or areas where buyers and sellers gather and interact for buying and selling goods and services.
Many other scholars has described marketing as an exchange process of goods and services accompanied by price making mechanism. Agricultural markets play a central role of assembling rural agricultural produce from scattered and vast production areas and distribute these commodities further to consumers and other stakeholders in urban and peri-urban areas. Agricultural marketing most times encompasses activities which may be picking/harvesting, drying, cleaning, sorting, grading, processing, packaging, labeling, transporting, storage, promotion and sale of agricultural products. All these major activities contribute in adding value to agricultural products as these products flow from farm producers to consumers. While some of these major activities are performed on farmers’ farm, the others are carried out off-farm by other market intermediaries such as traders and agro-processors.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
Agricultural farm products differ from industrial products due to their perishable nature and special requirements during various harvesting process and transportation operations. There is a need to design a farm product marking system to aid in displaying farm produce from farmers across the country to meet major stakeholders in need of these farm products. This will assist in growing the economy of the country when international investors invest in the farm produce seen on the marketing system. Furthermore, agricultural marketing includes all business activities designed to plan, price, promote and distribute want satisfying goods and services to household consumers and industrial users.
1.4 Aim and objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to design an Online System that will Link Farmers to Buyers. In achieving this aim, the specific objectives were set out as follows:
- To design and implement a Farm Product Marketing system to aid farmers in rural areas have a proper platform to promote their farm product.
- To develop a software that will enhance the link between Farmers and end product users in urban areas.
- To design an application that will ease the distribution of farm products across the country through technology.
1.5 Significance of Study
Agriculture is a well-organized and vibrate sector in Africa, it contributes significantly to the growth of any economy. It also provides employment to over 1.5 million people. Recently, this sector has shown 8 to 10 percent growth rate per annum due to rising demand of various agricultural products. It is observed that an agricultural commodity changes seven to eight different hands before reaching ultimate consumers. Functions performed by various market bodies (especially the middlemen in the market chain) remain one of the most controversial issues in Africa’s agricultural economy. It is argued that middlemen exploit marginal farmers and hamper their legitimate share which can be solved with the use of technology to link farmers directly to buyers.
Besides, the study will serve as reference material for subsequent researcher in the field or related topics.
1.6 Scope of Study
In the study of this nature, one would like to accumulate information from many areas, but in the view of the time given for this research, such a wide range could not be reached. The researcher therefore, concentrated on the development of an Online System that will Link Farmers to Buyers.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Computer: A machine used in modern times in organization and homes do manipulate data.
Data: Is a row fact that has no meaning.
Database: A collection of interrelated data stared with controlled redundancy to serve one or more application.
Information: Information is a data that has been evaluated. It is a processed data.
Information System: A systematic way of organizing the handling of information, from information gathering to information retrieval and use.
Management: The process of procuring, allocating, combing and utilizing or organizational resources expressed usually as 3ms (men, materials and money) through planning organizing directing and controlling activities of work of the organization member to reach certain stated objectives.
Management Information System: Management Information System is an integrated and holistic reporting network system in an organization that provides planning and controlling information for effective decision making.
Mobility: This ability of information to move from one point to another, from one person to another easily and timely.
System: It is a collection of interrelated and interdependent procedures that are joined together to perform an activity or a task.
Software: The programs that control the computer operation the system program controls the hardware component of computer which application program controls task performed by computer.
