Actors’ Involvement in the Processing Activities of Locust Beans (Parkia BiglobosaJacq.) in Osun and Oyo States, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed actors’ involvement in the processing activities of locust beans in Osun and Oyo States, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the entrepreneurial activities along the processing stage of locust beans and determined the level of involvement of actors in the processing activities of Locust beans in Osun and Oyo States, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 135 respondents for the study. A structured interview schedule was employed to elicit primary data. As part of the entrepreneurial activities of processing locust beans, all the respondents still cooked the unprocessed locust bean seeds using firewood while calabash and thick clothes were used for the fermentation process. Very few (1.5%) of the respondents produce more than 12kg (eight congos) of locust beans in a processing period. About 64 percent of the respondents had high level of involvement in the processing activities of locust beans. The study concluded that respondents are highly involved in the processing of Locust beans in the study area. Based on the findings, it is recommended that agro-industrial extension education by extension agencies on improved processing techniques should be encouraged to further enhance involvement in the processing of locust beans.