End‐user preferences for plantain food products in Nigeria and implications for genetic improvement

Abstract

Plantain is an important food security crop for farming households in Nigeria. This study investigates the relative importance of plantain food products and their quality descriptors from the perspective of farmers in Southern-Nigeria, to inform end-user oriented and socially inclusive breeding strategies that drive hybrid adoption. Surveys were conducted in twelve rural communities in three states in the plantain belt of Nigeria, consisting of key informant interviews, sex-disaggregated focused group discussions and individual interviews. Dodo (fried plantains), boli (roasted plantains), boiled plantain, plantain with beans and porridge were the most common food products identified in the study areas. Fruit size, pulp texture (firmness/softness), colour, maturity stage and taste were identified as the most critical characteristics, with impact on quality of processed food products. There were significant differences between states regarding the importance of plantain food products, but little interstate and gender differences for fresh fruit and food product quality characteristics.

Beyond “Women's Traits”: Exploring How Gender, Social Difference, and Household Characteristics Influence Trait Preferences

“…For example, women play an important role in cassava production (Curran et al, 2009;Walker et al, 2014), and perform most of its processing and marketing in Nigeria (Ilona et al, 2017). In the South East and South South regions of Nigeria, women play an important role in cassava production, shifting away from a formerly yam dominant cropping system and as men increase their engagement in non-farm activities (Korieh, 2010;Osuji et al, 2017;Alozie, 2019;Amah et al, 2021).…”

Consumer Preferences and Socioeconomic Factors Decided on Plantain and Plantain-Based Products in the Central Region of Cameroon and Oyo State, Nigeria

“…In Cameroon, groundnut and meat might be added during boiling; therefore, no food accompaniments are required, while plantain porridge in Nigeria is frequently eaten with beans, vegetables, meat, and stews. However, Amah et al [24] reported that porridge is more important in the South-South than in Nigeria's South-West.…”

“…Concerning taste, this finding was also in line with the choice of experiments of Hoek et al [48], who found that when consumers find taste very important, they will not compromise and respond to price or other measures. A study of Amah et al [24] found that most Nigerian respondents identified food quality characteristics related to color, texture, taste, and odor as the most important quality characteristics of plantain products.…”

“…In addition, household size is responsible for consumers' choices regarding the price of plantain products (Tables 4 and 5). Regarding the effect of gender, Amah et al [24] reported that men primarily focus on the yield of plantain production. At the same time, women might have spread their preferences more over the other characteristics that are related to home consumption.…”

How Does Cultivar, Maturation, and Pre-Treatment Affect Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Pasting Properties of Plantain Flours?

“…Plantains are a multipurpose crop with great processing potential and a source of starch and energy in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [1]. They are rich in nutrients such as dietary fiber, minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, and magnesium), vitamins (A and C), and phenolic compounds (carotenoids and flavonoids) [2][3][4][5].…”