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OYERONKE ADEJUMO, ADEBAYO ABASS, VICTOR OKORUWA, KABIR KAYODE SALMAN
University of Ibadan, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Nigeria
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Tanzania
Food Security remains a major issue in the world today especially in developing countries. Availability and access to food are negatively affected by many factors, prominent of which is post-harvest loss. Minimizing post-harvest losses is thus a critical agricultural problem. Cassava, an important staple food and income earner in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, is a perishable crop. Improved harvesting, better postharvest handling and optimized processing technologies are crucial for improving supply of cassava-based foods and income to smallholder processors. This study was carried out to examine the factors influencing the choice of post-harvest technologies used by cassava processors in the study area and assess the impact of improved technology on the processors income. Data were collected from 150 cassava processors in Kwara State, Nigeria using structured questionnaire and analyzed with multinomial logit model. Factors such as years of education, post-harvest technology capacity, processing experience, motives for processing, amongst others were found to influence the choice of post-harvest technologies used in the study area. Furthermore, the impact assessment revealed that cassava processors using improved post-harvest technologies had increased income and output compared to those using traditional technologies. The study concludes that policy should be directed towards investment in improved post-harvest technologies by both private and public sector.
Keywords: Cassava, food security, improved technologies, income, post-harvest losses
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