Unhygienic Food Processing Practices Among Small Scale Agro-Allied Entreprenuers in Makurdi and Zaria, Nigeria: Challenges for Extension Education and Training

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 2,Issue 1, Jan. 2015

Year:

2015

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Unhygienic, Food, Processing, Small Scale, Entrepreneurs, Challenges, Extension, Education

Authors:

Ejembi, S.A.; Ivande, P.D; Otene, V.A.

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

2

Number:

1

Pages:

16-19

Month:

Jan.-Feb.

ISSN:

2348-3997

Note:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Abstract:

Development of small and medium enterprises in any country is hinged on the ability of entreprenurs to add value to the primary products available to them. Consequently, this study was a survey of technologies used by entrepreneurs in agro-allied ventures in Makurdi and Zaria vis-a-vis the challenges posed to the development of this sector. A total of 80 agro-allied entrepreneurs were sampled in Zaria and Makurdi. Structured questionnaire,and focus group discussion were used to elicit relevant information from respondents. The data from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics such asfrequency and percentages, the results show that 50% of the respondents were ignorant of the technology to use while the remaining fraction accounted for other factors. Pictorial evidence show that farmers in the study locations operated with very local inappropriate technologies and in an unhygienic environment. It was concluded that respondents level of knowledge in the handling of agro-products was low. Therefore, it was recommended that intensive sensitization about the effect of the processing technologies on their health statuses be carried out by various development and extension agents/agencie as well as the establishment of Food Safety Offices in business communities to monitor compliance with food processing regulations. This will bridge the knowledge gap, thereby putting agro-allied entreprenurs in better pedestal for business activities.

Full text: IJRAS-173_updated_final.pdf [Bibtex]