AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR PRO VITAMIN ‘A’ GARRI: EVIDENCE FROM A RURAL AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The energy exercised at combating Vitamin A deficiency is a crucial feat to public health challenge among vulnerable niche of people in developing nations. Effort to ameliorate the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, bio-fortified cassava processed to garri which encompasses more pro-vitamin ‘A’ carotenoids than the white cassava has been presented to such areas. This study therefore examined the awareness, perceptions and willingness to pay for Pro-vitamin ‘A’ garri in Oyo state, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect data from 150 sampled respondents and analysed using descriptive statistics and double-hurdle model. Results revealed that about 47.5% of the respondents are aware of the availability of pro-vitamin ‘A’ garri but have low level of awareness. However, 67.3% of the consumers are aware of pro-vitamin A’’ garri from agricultural extension agents, radio and friends. The maximum, minimum and average amount the consumers were willing to pay for pro-vitamin ‘A’ garri per kilogram was ₦500 ($1.39), ₦160 ($0.44) and ₦220.08 ($0.61) respectively. The double hurdle model showed that income, other income sources and awareness (agricultural extension agents and friends) exerted significant and positive influence on consumers’ willingness to pay for pro-vitamin ‘A’ garri. Similarly, education and radio awareness significantly and positively influenced the amount willing to pay for one kilogram of pro-vitamin ‘A’ garri while household size exerted a significant and negative influence. The study therefore advocate for nutrition education as an important tool in communicating the nutritional and health benefits of bio-fortified crops and also an important factor that affects acceptability of bio-fortified crops.