Hidden one-stop shops in transforming agrifood value chains: Agro-input retailers in Myanmar

With the intensification and modernization of agriculture in many low- and middle-income countries, farmers are increasingly reliant on agro-inputs – such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides – purchased from small- and medium-sized retailers to boost production. Despite their growing importance, there has been limited research on the roles these agro-input retailers play in transforming agrifood value chains. Drawing on large-scale surveys of farmers and agro-input retailers in Myanmar, we show that retailers often act as one-stop shops in rural communities, providing a range of complementary agricultural services, and serving as the primary source of agricultural extension and credit provision for fertilizer. We also show, using a best-worst scaling experiment, that farmers have low trust in advice from agro-input retailers relative to peer farmers and public extension agents. These findings highlight both the potential and limitations of agro-input retailers in driving agricultural transformation. Strengthening retailer capacity to deliver services and bridging the trust gap will be important to realizing their full potential.