Assessment of the Level of Consumption of Moringa Oleifera Among Households in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Author: R. Kassali*, O. A. Yesufu, A. A. Girei & N. I. Musa
Abstract: This study analyzed moringa consumption among households in the Lafia Local government area of Nasarawa state. The objectives were to ascertain the various uses, the willingness to pay, and constraints to moringa consumption in the area. A two-stage sampling technique was adopted to randomly select one hundred (100) respondents for the study. Data were collected with the use of a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive, sensitivity and regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The results indicate that most moringa consumers were female between 21-30 years of age. Most households had been consuming moringa for at least 20 years. Leaves and seeds were the most utilised parts of the plant. Moringa had uses as food, domestic cleansing agent and medicinal purpose. Results show also that WTP for moringa decreases as price increases, while factors influencing consumption include, age, household size, WTP and income. The major constraints to moringa consumption include lack of awareness and poor availability. It is therefore recommended that more awareness be created on its multiple benefits and development programmes be put in place to increase availability and stimulate more of the consumption.