Farmers and Consumers Perceptions and Preferences for Yellow Flesh Cassava (YFC) in the Central Region of Ghana

Emmanuel Ogyiri Adu¹, Godwin Amenorpe², Kingsley Joseph Taah^1, , Paul Agu Asare¹, Elizabeth Parkes³, Maryke Labuschagne⁴ and Peter Kulakow³

¹Department of Crop Science, School of Agriculture, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana

²Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Accra, Ghana

³International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria

⁴Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Cite this paper:
Emmanuel Ogyiri Adu, Godwin Amenorpe, Kingsley Joseph Taah, Paul Agu Asare, Elizabeth Parkes, Maryke Labuschagne and Peter Kulakow. Farmers and Consumers Perceptions and Preferences for Yellow Flesh Cassava (YFC) in the Central Region of Ghana. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2023; 11(5):382-388. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-11-5-7

Abstract

Vitamin A deficiency related diseases are a major problem in Sub-Sahara Africa and any staple crop that contains high levels of total carotenoids including β-carotene can be used to combat these challenges. However, there is little or no information on farmers’ and consumers’ perceptions and preferences for yellow flesh cassava varieties that contain high levels of total carotenoids. This study was done to assess the perceptions and preferences of Ghanaian farmers and consumers for yellow flesh cassava varieties. A survey was conducted on cassava farmers and consumers in Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Agona East, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Assin South, and Twifo-Ati-Morkwa, which are the five major cassava-growing districts in the Central region. In all, 600 respondents consisting of 200 farmers and 400 consumers were interviewed using a content validated structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25 and showed that 91.2% of the consumers and 88.8% of the farmers have heard of the yellow flesh cassava and 72% were willing to cultivate it, but lack of planting materials and non-availability of a ready market were their major constraints. Also, the majority of the farmers and consumers recommended that fufu and gari be made from the yellow flesh cassava. It is recommended that breeders should breed for mealy yellow flesh cassava to meet demand. More sensitization is also needed to increase the patronage for yellow flesh cassava.

Keywords:
perceptions preferences yellow flesh cassava β-carotene

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