Factors influencing adoption of postharvest practices among underutilised indigenous vegetables producers in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Background of the study - The adoption of improved postharvest practices among poor rural Underutilised Indigenous Vegetable (UIV) households aimed at improving their nutritional status and welfare can be facilitated if the said postharvest techniques are understood in terms of the current practices and the factors influencing their adoption. Objectives - This study examines the factors that influence the adoption of postharvest practices of UIV farmers in Southwest Nigeria. Materials and methods - Secondary data was extracted from the “synergizing fertilizer micro-dosing and indigenous vegetable production to enhance food and economic security of West Africa” (the MICROVEG project) data bank, with a total of 627 respondents. Descriptive and the Poisson Count Regression was used to analyse the data. Results - The result revealed that adopters of postharvest practices were predominantly male producers and marketers of UIV who are married and preferred dewing and aeration. In addition, religion, household working class demography, marital status, distance to water, farm size and revenue significantly increase the number of postharvest methods adopted. Conclusion - Promoters of adoption of postharvest methods of preservation of UIVs could utilise adult social networks such as religious or other social groups as entry point to facilitate the adoption process and elucidate on the universal need for postharvest method of UIVs preservation irrespective of farm size to increase the revenue accruable to the producers.