PERCEIVED NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL VALUES OF MORINGAOLEIFERA (ZOGALE) AMONG RURAL DWELLERS OF KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated perceived nutritional and medicinal values of Moringa oleifera among rural dwellers in Katsina State. A total of 140 rural dwellers were sampled through a multi-stage sampling technique. Frequency counts, percentages and means were used in presenting the data analysed, while Chi-Square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the hypotheses. Result of analysis reveals that average age and household size were 41.96 ± 13.23 and 8.54 ± 3.69. Majority were married (85.0%) while 47.1% Quranic education. The study further reveals that majority (98.6%) had eaten Moringa in the past 20 years. Radio (mean = 2.27) friends (mean = 2.19) and health centres (Mean = 1.69) were the common sources of information on the benefits of Moringa. The level of awareness on the nutritional and medicinal values of Moringa was high among majority (67.1%). More than half (53.6% and 57.9%) perceived the medicinal (53.6%)and nutritional (57.9%) benefits of Moringa to be high. Religion (χ 2 = 6.507 and 5.861), level of exposure to information (r = 0.237 and 0.332) and level of awareness (r = 0.484; and 0.383) on benefits of Moringa had a significant relationship with respondents’ perceived nutritional and medicinal benefits of the plant. The study concludes that awareness creation through various communication channels have been effective in enlightening respondents on the of values m oringa