Fertiliser distribution in Nigeria prior to Notore’s entrance into the industry, was limited to urban and peri-urban centres. Nigeria’s estimated 14 million farming households who live in rural communities had limited access to this critical farm input. To address this problem, Notore’s distribution network is structured to ensure effective delivery of products to the nook and crannies of our market sphere at a uniform price.
By this strategy we guarantee wealth creation to all partners in our distribution value chain while providing easy access to all farmers. In building the desired structure, we work with a number of carefully selected partners to ensure the availability and maintain the quality of our products in all communities in Nigeria and other locations outside Nigeria. The strong link between the company and its partners enables it to have control over the distribution channel up to end-user point.
This distribution network involves:
Transport Partners
These are transport service companies engaged by Notore to handle the haulage of fertiliser products from the production plant in Onne to the various locations where Distribution Partners, Agro Dealers, Village Promoters and farmers are located across the nation.
Distribution Partners
Our distribution partners have vast experience in product distribution and they serve as the first and major product distribution hub. They are wholesale purchasers who ensure free flow of our products down the chain by building adequate inventory in their warehouse at all times.
Agro Dealers
Our Agro Dealers own farm input retail outlets located in good proximity to farming communities. They not only ensure product availability to their consumers but also provide advisory services to farmers.
Village Promoters
Our Village Promoters are an intricate part of the distribution network. They are required to be able to communicate effectively with rural farmers in their communities. Village Promoters are a team of local people trained by Notore to sell small pack fertilisers to their local communities through the use of demonstration plots where they educate their communities on the appropriate use of fertilisers and best farming practices.
In 2010 Notore embarked on a project to reach out to poor farmers in remote communities that previously had little or no access to quality fertiliser products. The objective of the project was to educate small-scale farmers in appropriate fertiliser application methods as well as provide them access to fertiliser in affordable pack sizes. To implement the project, a total of 180 hitherto unemployed youths were recruited and trained as Village Promoters in the target communities. Their duties were to train farmers with practical tools such as demonstration plots while also driving sales of affordable 1kg pack fertilisers to farmers. These Village Promoters together set up 917 demonstration plots and reached about 58,000 farmers in 15 states across Nigeria.