Factors driving the adoption of cooking banana processing and utilisation methods in Nigeria

As part of efforts in realising her aim of introducing cooking banana into Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) mounted training and awareness campaigns on its utilisation in collaboration with Shell and Agip Oil companies between 1991 and 1997. This study looked into the adoption profile of the utilisation methods and the factors that may have influenced it. Data were collected from a random sample of 232 respondents from 24 villages in southeast Nigeria. Results showed an overall adoption level of 79.5%. The highest adoption levels were obtained for those utilisation methods similar to local and traditional methods of plantain consumption and lowest for nontraditionaluses. The extent or intensity of adoption by the respondents ranged from 1 processing method to 7, with an average of 3. As a proportion of the number of utilisation methods on which training was given, the intensity of adoption ranged from 12.5% to 100% with a mean of 52.2%, meaningthat the respondents have adopted more than 50% of the total number methods on which they received training. The major factors which have strongly influenced the adoption process were the level of educational attainment, social status, primary occupation, intensity of training received, availability of commercially-produced plantain products in the market/area, trialability as well as the number of desirable attributes of the utilisation methods

Agroeconomic evaluation of black Sigatoka resistant hybrid plantains under smallholder management systems

Plantain production in Sub-Saharan Africa has been seriously threatened by black Sigatoka disease since the early 1980s. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has succeeded in developing hybrids that are resistant to the disease, and out-yields the best landrace by about 100%. Beforeintroducing these hybrids to the farmers, their performance at the smallholder environment has to be established. This study was carried out to assess the performance of the hybrids under farmermanagedsystems, using PITA14 (a hybrid) and Agbagba (best landrace). Thirty-six farmers from nine villages were involved. Five suckers each of the varieties were planted in farmers' fields. Data were collected over a period of 22 months on the agronomy, economics, post harvest and marketing. Resultsshow that PITA14 had reduced cropping cycle compared to the landrace. Average black Sigatoka resistant index was 96% for PITA14 against Agbagba’s 48%. The mean bunch weight was 13.3kg for PITA14 and 7.0Kg for Agbagba. Eighty-three percent of the farmers harvested 124 bunches from 81 mats of PITA14, while 55% harvested 62 bunches from 52 mats of Agbagba. Each farmer obtained an equivalent of $8.62 from PITA14 and$4.33 from Agbagba. The post harvest technology attributes wereranked higher for the hybrid. The combination of disease resistance and increased yield by the hybrid is suggestive of its high adoption potential

Effet de l'éloignement des champs sur la productivité du travail dans la culture du manioc en Afrique sub-Saharienne

Effet de l'éloignement des champs sur la productivité du travail dans la culture du manioc en Afrique sub-Saharienne. Three soil tillage practices - summer ploughing, autumn ploughing and chisel - have been evaluated through their effect on soil physical characteristics and on water content during three months after wheat seeding. A comparison was made with no-tillage. This experiment has been conducted on a shallow calcareous clay soil during the season 1995-96. Primary field preparation allows a porous layer up to 20 cm depth which reduces bulk density and penetration resistance. All the profiles generated by the tillage implements were uniformed by the rain effect. The water content and distribution in the profile was significantly affected by the tillage implements. No-tillage allows the best distribution of water in the profile which is the most suitable to seed germination and plant stand. The increasing porosity due to the autumn tillage action reduced the amount of water stored in the soil in comparison with the no-tillage case

Performance of High-Yielding Cassava Varieties in Terms of Quantity of Gari per Unit of Labor in Nigeria

This paper compares the quantifies of gari produced per unit of labor from high-yielding and local varieties of cassava in Nigeria. Gari is a cassava-based granule obtained by roasting fermented cassava paste. It is widely consumed in Nigeria and many other West African countries. The results of the study show that, although high-yielding cassava varieties are superior to local varieties in terms of fresh roots per unit area, the difference in terms of gari (kg) per unit labor (person-day) between the two is not significant. This is due to high labor requirements for transportation and processing activities incurred by high-yielding varieties. The study further indicates a negative relationship between the adoption of high-yielding cassava varieties and distance to fields, the use of headload/backload as transportation means, and lack of processing machines in the village. This means that farmers are less likely to adopt high-yielding varieties of cassava where transportation and processing activities of cassava are carried out manually

Factors driving the intensity and rate of cooking banana adoption in Nigeria

The International Institute of tropical Agriculture introduced cooking banana into south east Nigeria in the late 1980s from Asia through the INIBAP Transit Centre as an interim measure in combating the incidence of black sigatoka disease on plantain. The study examined the extent of adoption of the crop in the area, about a decade after its introduction. Data were collected from 285 randomly selected farmers in about 76 of the villages where the crop was introduced, using a structured questionnaire. Data analyses utilised descriptive statistical tools while econometric models were used in identifying forces that have influenced the adoption process. Results showed that 55% of farmers have more cooking banana mats than they initially planted, giving a 55% adoption level. The intensity of adoption ranges from one mat to 599 mats with a mean of 23 mats, while the average annual increase in the number of mats is 6. Considering the relative “newness” of the crop in the country, the above adoption figures are considered high. Among the factors that have strongly influenced the extent and rate of adoption are farmers' household size, level of educational attainment, primary occupation, extension education and training, market opportunities, cropping experience, security of land, and the compatibility of the crop with existing systems. (J Agric & Soc Res:2003 3(2): 135-166

Determinants of market production of cooking banana in Nigeria

The factors that influence farmers' decisions to produce cooking banana for market in southeast Nigeria were examined. Data were collected from a random sample of 217 farmers through the use of a structured questionnaire. Results of the study indicate that about 80% of the farmers interviewed produce cooking banana both for household consumption and for sale. The proportion of cooking banana sold ranged from 10% to 90% with an average of 45%. Thus, cooking banana performs the dual role of providing food for the households, as well as being an additional source of cash income. Tobit regression analysis revealed that the price and the ripening stage at sale of cooking banana, as well as the presence of middlemen in the marketing chain were the most important determinants of the proportion of cooking banana planted for market. This indicates that cooking banana growers readily respond to market forces. Age and gender ownership of cooking banana also influenced the proportion of the crop planted for market. Increased involvement of wholesalers and processors in the marketing chain of the crop will probably enhance its market in the region.Cette étude a examiné les facteurs qui influencent la décision du paysan de produire la banane à cuire pour le marché dans le sud-est du Nigéria. Les résultats de l'étude montrent qu'environ 80% de paysans interrogés produisent la banane à cuire à la fois pour l'autoconsommation et pour la vente. La part destinée au marché varie entre 10% et 90% avec une moyenne de 45%. Ces résultats suggèrent que la banane à cuire sert autant de nourriture que de source de revenu monétaire pour le paysan. Les résultats de l'analyse de régression indiquent que la décision de produire la banane à cuire pour le marché dépend surtout du prix, de la présence d'intermédiaires dans le circuit de commercialisation ainsi que du stade de maturation du fruit au moment de la vente. Ceci signifie que le paysan répond positivement aux forces du marché dans la production de la banane à cuire. L'âge et le sexe du propriétaire de la banane à cuire influencent également la proportion de la production destinée au marché. Une intervention accrue des grossistes et des transformateurs dans le circuit de commercialisation de la banane à cuire contribuerait à accroître l'importance commerciale de cette culture dans la région

Determinants of market production of cooking banana in Nigeria

The factors that influence farmers' decisions to produce cooking banana for market in southeast Nigeria were examined. Data were collected from a random sample of 217 farmers through the use of a structured questionnaire. Results of the study indicate that about 80% of the farmers interviewed produce cooking banana both for household consumption and for sale. The proportion of cooking banana sold ranged from 10% to 90% with an average of 45%. Thus, cooking banana performs the dual role of providing food for the households, as well as being an additional source of cash income. Tobit regression analysis revealed that the price and the ripening stage at sale of cooking banana, as well as the presence of middlemen in the marketing chain were the most important determinants of the proportion of cooking banana planted for market. This indicates that cooking banana growers readily respond to market forces. Age and gender ownership of cooking banana also influenced the proportion of the crop planted for market. Increased involvement of wholesalers and processors in the marketing chain of the crop will probably enhance its market in the region

Determinants of market production of cooking banana in Nigeria

The factors that influence farmers' decisions to produce cooking banana for market in southeast Nigeria were examined. Data were collected from a random sample of 217 farmers through the use of a structured questionnaire. Results of the study indicate that about 80% of the farmers interviewed produce cooking banana both for household consumption and for sale. The proportion of cooking banana sold ranged from 10% to 90% with an average of 45%. Thus, cooking banana performs the dual role of providing food for the households, as well as being an additional source of cash income. Tobit regression analysis revealed that the price and the ripening stage at sale of cooking banana, as well as the presence of middlemen in the marketing chain were the most important determinants of the proportion of cooking banana planted for market. This indicates that cooking banana growers readily respond to market forces. Age and gender ownership of cooking banana also influenced the proportion of the crop planted for market. Increased involvement of wholesalers and processors in the marketing chain of the crop will probably enhance its market in the region

Cooking Banana Consumption Patterns in the Plantain-growing Area of Southeastern Nigeria

Cooking bananas (Musa spp., ABB genome) were intro-duced into Southeastern Nigeria by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in the mid-1980s as an interim measure to reduce the incidence of black sigatoka disease (caused by the fungus Mycosphaerel-la fijiensis Morelet) on plantain. However, the people of this region were not familiar with their utilisation methods. To address this lack of the knowledge and thereby sustain cooking banana cultivation, IITA, in collaboration with the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and the Nigeria Agip OU Company (NAOC) commenced a training campaign on cooking banana processing methods. This study examined the patterns of utilisation of cooking bananas ten years after the training took place and compared them with plantain. About 95 % of the households interviewed are consuming cooking banana, indicating a broad acceptance of the crop in the region. Overall, two ripening stages termed green and ripe are the most popular ripening stages for the consumption of both plantain and cooking banana, followed by partially ripe maturity stage. The most common forms of consumption for green plantain are, in decreasing order of importance, pottage, boiled, roasted, and fried. Green cooking banana is also mostly eaten in pottage and boiled forms, and less frequently in fried and pounded forms. Ripe plantain is mostly eaten in fried and pottage forms, while ripe cooking banana is mostly eaten in fried and raw forms. Partially ripe plantain is mostly eaten in pottage, fried, boiled, and roasted forms, while partially ripe cooking banana is eaten in fried, pottage and boiled forms. These results indicate that the consumption patterns of plantain and cooking banana are very similar. This similarity has greatly contributed to the rapid integration of cooking banana within the existing plantain consumption and cropping systems

Current status of cassava processing technology in semiarid areas of Central and West Africa. In The small processor and development of local food industries for market economy

A village level survey was organised in 200 villages in semiarid areas of Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Niger, and Nigeria using structured questionnaires in order to provide baseline information on the status of cassava processing technology as part of the collaborative study on cassava in semiarid areas (COSCASA). The results of the study indicate a very low level of cassava processing knowledge in the area. "Boiled roots" is the most common and unique form of comsuming cassava in most villages of the region. The study also found that in most villages people eat cassava products not locally processed; these included mostly garri, cassava flour and to a lesser extent attieke. These products were brought from neighoring villages or countries. Lack of processing knowledge, insufficient supply of raw material (cassava roots), and lack of equipment are the most important reasons given by farmers for not processing the above "imported cassava products" in their villages. Most farmers indicated that they wished to learn gari processing technology