Technology use in sweet potato production, consumption and utilization among households in Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

The study was designed to identify the technology used by households in the production, consumption and utilization of sweet potato in Southeastern Nigeria. Two difference types of structured interview schedules for farmers and consumers were utilized in obtaining information from one hundred and forty-four farmers and seventy – two sweet potato consumers Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that majority (92.4%) of the farmers used correct spacing (30-50cm apart) and earthening up in sweet potato production, while 90.3% used cutting off the vine from the base at majority to prevent boring attack by weevils in sweet potato production. Also majority (70.8%) of the consumers processed sweet potato into snacks/ fried chips while 59.7% utilized sweet potato for fortification of pounded yam /foofoo and baby’s food. The technologies that were highly used by farmers in the production of sweet potato were organic and inorganic fertilizer while the technologies that were highly used by consumers in processing and utilization of sweet potato were processing into snacks /fried chips, flour, dried chips and utilization in the fortification of pounded yam /foofoo, fortification of baby’s food and sweetening of beverages (kunu and Burukutu). It was concluded that technologies that are user friendly be developed by research institutes and passed on to state Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPS) for on ward transmission to end-users. The women-in-Agriculture Programme (WIA) of the state level ADPS are strongly recommended to facilitate promotion of processing and utilization of sweet potato technologies among women and multipurpose cooperatives.