Assessment of Usage of Upgraded Indigenous Shea Butter Processing Technology by Women Processors in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out in Agbaku-Eji in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria, to assess the usage of upgraded indigenous Shea Butter Processing Technology by Women processors. All the 61 members of the Shea Butter Cooperative Society was used for the study. An interview schedule was used to obtain information from the respondents. Statistical analysis such as frequency counts and percentages were used to analyse the data. Chi-square was used to test the stated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study showed that the mean age of the respondents was 45 years, they were all married .and 77% of the respondents have had no formal education, 54.1% had over 15 years of experience in Shea butter processing and 95% earned over N50,000.00 as their annual income from Shea butter. About 91.8% engaged in Shea butter processing as the main source of livelihood. The study further showed no significant relationship between level of usage of Shea butter upgraded technology and socio-economic characteristics of women processors. However, there was significant relationship between Shea butter processing and usage of upgraded technology. Despite the constraints experienced by the women processors, the study revealed that they preferred the use of the new technology that is, upgraded technology to the indigenous method they were used to. The study recommends the promotion of upgraded technology by Raw Material Research and Development Council, the Federal and State Governments and Private Sector Investment to all Women Shea Butter Processors in Nigeria.

Key words: Upgraded Technology, Women Processors, Shea Butter Processing.