Cassava Processors Utilization Of Hygienic Practices In Imo State, Nigeria
EGWUONWU, H.A
Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria
Keywords: Cassava, Processor, Knowledge Level, Utilization, Hygienic Practices
Abstract
Cassava is a staple food but its processing has constituted menace to the environment, this study assessed cassava processors utilization of hygienic practices. Data were collected using structured questionnaire from 120 cassava processors selected through multi sampling technique. Statistical tools used for analyzing the generated data were percentages, frequency, mean score and multiple regression analysis. The result showed that the average age of the cassava processors was 44.5 years, majority (58.3%) were married, dominated by female (61%) with average household size of 6 persons. Majority (40%) of them had primary education with 1.0ha average farm size and average processing experience of 8 years. The major hygienic practices identified were peeling (98.3%), washing (98.3%), pressing (93.3%), grating (85.0%), fermenting (81.7%) and drying (73.4%). Majority had a high knowledge of cassava processing hygienic practices and utilized them during processing. The major constraints in utilization of hygienic practices were identified as lack of disposal facility (92.5%), lack of finance for use to purchase modern equipment (88.3%), inadequate access to clean water (82.5%). The study showed that age; years of processing experience, farm size, access to credit extension contact and income were statistically significant at 5% probability level with utilization of hygienic practices. This study concludes that cassava processors in the study had high knowledge of environmental hygienic practices and utilized them but had constraints in access to adequate disposal facility. Therefore, the research recommends that extension agents should sensitize and do more enlightening campaign in cassava processing hygienic practices which will make the environmental friendly expose cassava processors to modern processing technology to make processing easier.