Cocoyam Food Preference at Household Level in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed preferences of Cocoyam foodstuff against its local substitutes in South-west Nigeria. Cocoyam is produced for local consumption and Nigeria is a world major producer. Interview schedule was used to elicit information from 322 respondents from four states in the region. Two local government Areas were purposively selected from each state based on the availability of the crop. Cocoyam foodstuffs were matched against their twenty two closest substitutes and respondents rated their preferences on a continuum. The ratings were subjected to Cochran Q-Test. Results showed that Cocoyam was preferred to yam by 70% of respondents in six major utilization forms. It was not preferred to other foodstuffs like corn flakes, potato chips, maize pap and solid meal, etc. There was a proportionate difference between the perceived characteristics of Cocoyam foodstuff and consumers` utilization level, Q-value of 561.02, p < 0.05. Cocoyam food preference does not depend on perception but availability of the close substitutes. Hence, increased production of Cocoyam foodstuff is recommended to make the processed Cocoyam foodstuff cheaply available to city and rural dwellers alike to increase nutritional status of Nigerians.