Factors associated with adoption of indigenous biscuit processing technology by mothers of school-going children in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Wheat is the conventional flour in biscuit manufacture. However, the use of wheat is not economical due to the fact that huge foreign reserve is used in its importation in Nigeria. In addition, wheat-based foods are associated with celiac disease, hence the use of non-wheat crops like tubers and legumes in biscuit processing is desirable. A previous study had developed a nutritionally improved biscuit from underutilized crops, such as sweet potato, cooking banana and pigeon pea. The present study examined factors associated with adoption of the indigenous biscuit processing technology using non-wheat flours by mothers of school going children in Ogun State, Nigeria. Amultistage sampling procedure was utilized to select 120 respondents from the list of 1,123 registered farmers in 10 extension blocks in Ogun State. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents. Respondents were taught the various stages of biscuit processing through demonstration. Knowledge about the various stages of biscuit processing was measured on a 5-point Likert Scale. The five points used were: extremely understood, moderately understood, somewhat understood, slightly understood and not understood. Level of adoption indicates the psychological stages that an individual passes through before making a final decision to use a particular innovation. Adoption Level was thus measured on Knowledge, Persuasions, Decision, Confirmation and Continuation decision. Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance, Chi square, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results revealed the mean age of respondents to be 40.35 } 10.33 years. Most respondents were traders, and the highest educational qualification was National Diploma (2.5%). The main sources of agricultural information were radio (64.2%) and extension agents (60%). There were high adoption rates in baking/production (87.7%) and flour blending (85.5%). Reasons for technology adoption were affordability (80.8%), availability of ingredients (81.7%) and relative advantage (80.8%). Adoption of technology was associated with age (r = 0.284, p < 0.05), quality of technology delivery (r = 0.267, p < 0.05), marital status (χ2 = 1.081, p < 0.05) and membership of association (χ2 = 12.055, p < 0.05). In conclusion, effective adoption of technology could be achieved among young married mothers.