An Analysis of the knowledge and attitudes toward African breadfruit among rural households in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of rural dwellers regarding the importance of African breadfruit in Osun State, Nigeria. It describes the respondents' socioeconomic characteristics, their knowledge of the importance of African breadfruit, and attitudes toward the production and consumption of African breadfruit in the study area. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 288 respondents. Data were elicited through a structured questionnaire. Data collected were described with frequency, percentages and mean. They were also analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 47.8 ± 1.32 years and the majority were male (62.2%) with a mean years of formal schooling as 9.7 ± 4.67. Respondents had moderate knowledge (64%) of the importance of African breadfruit, with an indifferent attitude towards its production and consumption. There was a significant association between religion (χ2= 21.966; P=0.000), level of education (χ2= 46.136; P=0.000), cosmopoliteness (χ2= 16.877; P=0.000) and knowledge of the importance of African breadfruit at p ≤0.01. There was a significant relationship between the level of education (r = 0.202), years of formal schooling (r = -0.165), cosmopoliteness (r = 0.172), and knowledge of the importance of African breadfruit at p ≤ 0.01. Additionally, there exists a significant relationship between rural households’ attitudes toward the production and consumption of African breadfruit and the knowledge of its importance (r = 0.219, p ≤0.01). It was therefore established from the findings of this study that respondents had moderate knowledge of African breadfruit with an indifferent attitude towards its production and consumption.