Consumer Perception of Sorghum Variety Attributes in the Lake Zone Tanzania

Many sorghum varieties have been developed by research institutes in an effort to address food security problems in the semi-arid areas of Tanzania. Although sorghum is better adapted to drier areas than maize, farmer adoption rates for sorghum varieties are always lower than that of maize. In addition, maize based food is more acceptable to urban consumers than sorghum based food. In this study consumer evaluated quality attributes of sorghum ugali based on different varieties in order to determine marketing potential relating to the different improved sorghum varieties. A total of 231 consumers, randomly selected from urban and rural areas participated in a food panel to evaluate ugali prepared from five sorghum varieties (three improved, two local). Conjoint analysis was used to determine consumer perceptions of the variety attributes, while a logistic model was applied to determine preference ranking of different varieties. The results indicated that the color and taste of sorghum ugali were the most important criteria used by consumers to evaluate the quality ugali. The study results indicated that sorghum ugali with white/khaki color and the majority of panel participants preferred neutral or slightly sweet taste. Consumers from rural and urban areas accepted two improved varieties; only consumers from rural areas accepted the remaining variety.Adoption, consumer perception, conjoint analysis, sorghum varieties, Tanzania, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, Marketing, Productivity Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Animal People

A continuing series of articles by Dr. M. W. Fox covering selected topics of interest and practical value for people who work with, and whose lives are dedicated to the welfare of our animal kin

The Place of Farm Animals in Humane Sustainable Agriculture

It is not yet widely recognized that the livestock industry has become a major threat to the world\u27s economy, the environment, consumer health, and the food security of nations and generations to come. Farm animals do have a place in ecologically sound agriculture, but, as will be shown, they have not been properly integrated either in the United States or in other developed and less-developed nations of the world.https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/ebooks/1025/thumbnail.jp

The Show Dog Syndrome

The Show Dog Syndrome appears to be similar to reactive depression in humans. Overmeier has demonstrated such a syndrome – which he labeled “learned helplessness” – in dogs and argued that insecurity and an inability to predict and control traumatic environmental stimuli underlies the development of such a syndrome

Empathy, Humaneness and Animal Welfare

In relation to a person\u27s emotional rapport with an animal, is empathy possible? Sympathetic concern for animals is often judged, sometimes correctly, as being a sentimental, anthropomorphic projection. Sheer subjective sympathy toward an animal, without objective understanding of its behavior and needs, can lead to erroneous assumptions as to its well-being, and to misjudgement of others\u27 treatment of animals as being cruel. Empathy is possible when the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another can be vicariously experienced: thus when there is objective knowledge about what an animal\u27s overt behavior signifies, and what emotional states, intentions, and expectations such overt behavior reflects, empathy is possible. Without such objective knowledge, we have sympathy and varying degrees of anthropomorphization. Understanding and sympathy combined make empathy possible

Humane Ethics and Animal Rights

Animal suffering, therefore, is only one aspect of animal exploitation and abuse. Recognizing this, and the fact that the elimination of animal suffering is a limited horizon, the humane movement has dramatically expanded its vision and goals by incorporating animal rights philosophy and ecological principles into its educational, legislative, and political activities

Animal Rights and Religious Politics

Animal rights philosophy and the animal welfare movement have recently been criticized by religious fundamentalist organizations. Fundamentalists admit it is wrong to treat animals inhumanely, but the basis for this conclusion is human-centered rather than animal-centered

The Slippery Semantics of a Word: Dominion

The word dominion, which is often interpreted as equivalent to domination, is defined in Webster\u27s dictionary as primarily indicating sovereignty. Roget\u27s International Thesaurus interprets dominion as realm, domain or jurisdiction and therefore makes dominion, domination, sovereignty, and supremacy synonymous. Thus, the passage in Genesis 1:26 that proclaims that man has dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, can be interpreted as meaning that he has been granted sovereignty, jurisdiction, or domination. The passage does not state, however, to what degree humans, as dominionists or sovereigns, may exploit the rest of creation. No ethical limits are set. Thus, the term dominion is ambiguous insofar as it does not denote to what degree humans, as dominionists or sovereigns, may exploit the rest of creation