Proclivity of Agricultural Science Teachers towards Bush meat Consumption in Rural Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the proclivity of agricultural science teachers towards bushmeat consumption in rural areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 65 agricultural science teachers from selected rural local government areas of Ogun State. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire with reliability coefficients of 0.78 and 0.75 using the test-retest method. Data were analysed using percentages and weighted mean scores. The results revealed that the majority (61.5%) of the respondents were female. The most prominent factors influencing bushmeat consumption were taste and preference (WMS = 1.54), ethical consideration (WMS = 1.52), and availability/accessibility (WMS = 1.49). The least influential factors were lack of awareness (WMS = 0.71) and government policies (WMS = 0.92). Findings further showed that boiling (WMS = 1.92) was the most preferred mode of bushmeat consumption, followed by soup preparation (WMS = 1.51) and smoking (WMS = 1.23). The study concluded that bushmeat consumption among agricultural science teachers in rural Ogun State is largely influenced by taste preferences and accessibility. The study recommends increased awareness campaigns on wildlife conservation and the promotion of affordable alternative protein sources to reduce dependence on bushmeat consumption.