WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF POWDER FORTIFICATION AMONG BREAD CONSUMERS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Moringa Nutraceutical Research (IJMNR). Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin
Abstract
Micronutrient deficiency has become an issue of global discuss considering the billions of people affected by the menace. There are high potentials in the Moringa Oleifera giving the plant ability to tackle the issue based on the inherent nutritional qualities. The abundance, accessibility, coupled with the acceptability of Moringa has placed the plant at a vantage point in tackling micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria. Despite the popularity Moringa Oleifera has gained over the years in Nigeria, not much has been done in terms of incorporating the plant into the varieties of daily diet of the populace which has been explored in some other countries. With bread being a staple food widely acceptable and consumed across board, the food product provides a realistic mechanism of infusing the Moringa Oliefera plant into the diet of millions of consumers in Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out to examine bread consumer’s willingness to pay for fortification with Moringa Oleifera leaf powder in Kwara State, Nigeria. Primary data and secondary information were used for the study. Survey instrument used was structured questionnaire, administered to 240 respondents randomly selected in a four-stage sampling procedure. Analytical tools employed include descriptive statistics, Contingent Valuation Method and Regression technique. The study revealed that bread related purchases are predominated by males who account for up to about 63% of purchases. Almost half of the respondents were willing to pay 20% premium over the amount they would pay for a plain loaf of bread while 28.3% of the respondents were willing to pay up to 60% premium above the cost of a plain bread loaf. At 5%level, factors that significantly and positively determine consumers’ willingness to pay for Moringa Oleifera leaf powder fortification in their bread were: educational status, monthly income, awareness of the nutritional benefits of Moringa Oleifera, consumers’ perception of Moringa leaves, and ongoing management of health challenge while the amount spent by consumer on pharmaceutical dietary supplement was negatively significant. The study recommends that bread manufacturer should take advantage of the consumers’ willingness to pay for Moringa fortification to their bread and hence make the product available. Given that an impressive percentage of respondents were willing to pay for Moringa fortification to their bread, it could prove to be a means to tackling the issue of micronutrient deficiency heads-on since bread is a widely acceptable staple in the country. There is the need to create even more awareness on the health and nutritional benefits of the Moringa plant as there are vast opportunities along food processing value chains which will impact positively on the economy considering that individuals are willing to pick up supplement-fortified food products in Nigeria.
Description
Keywords
Bread, Contingent Valuation Method, Micronutrient deficiency, Moringa Oleifera, Willingness-to-pay, Food fortification
Citation
4. Ajibade T.B.; Ajibade E.T., Belewu K.Y., Opaleke D.O.(2017) Willingness to Pay for Moringa Oleifera Leaf Powder Fortification among Bread Consumers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Accepted for publication by International Journal of Moringa Nutraceutical Research (IJMNR) ISSN:2437-1955;2016; 3:10-24 Published by Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin