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Abstract
This study examined the postharvest practices information needs among tomato marketers in Egor local government area, Edo state, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to;
describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the marketers, examine various tomato postharvest practices engaged by the respondents, ascertain the information needs of
tomato marketers on post-harvest practices, identify sources of information on post harvest practices among tomato marketers, and identify constraints to tomato post-harvest
practice in the study area. A two stage sampling technique was employed in this study. Data for this study were
obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through the use of structured questionnaire administered through interview schedule to Eighty (80) randomly selected respondents from the study area. Data obtained were analyzed using
Multiple Regressions. Results from the descriptive statistic showed that all (100%) of the respondents was
female, and majority (68.8%) was married. The mean age, mean household size, mean years of marketing experience and mean average monthly income were 42.16years, 4.83
members, 13.34years and N43,771.19 respectively. Majority (85%) of the respondents was educated and majority (98.8%) was Christians. Majority (75%) of the marketers were
members of an association and majority (93.8%) were retailers. The study showed that information on how best to preserve tomatoes, information on tomato storage, and
information on how best to transport tomatoes were the major information needs of tomato marketers in the study area. These information needs were adjudged as needed
information with all above the mean benchmark of 3.0. Information sources of tomato marketers were analyzed based on their availability, accessibility and preference. It was
observed that information sources such as; fellow marketers, friends and neighbours and marketers union or cooperative were available, accessible and preferred by the marketers,
with means above the benchmark of 2.0. The postharvest practices engaged by marketers were sorting, grading, cleaning, disinfecting, transportation and marketing. The major constraints to postharvest practices information needs of marketers were inadequate financial support, lack of knowledge of relevant postharvest handling information, and
poor language of information presentation. They all had mean above the benchmark of 2.5 and were adjudged to be serious. Multiple regressions showed that only membership of an association significantly correlated with information needs on postharvest practices at 1% level of significance. The study concluded that though the marketers were experienced due to high years of marketing experience, they still need information on postharvest practices to improve their knowledge and extension agents should conduct an outreach for tomato marketers to help inform them more on postharvest practice they require.
describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the marketers, examine various tomato postharvest practices engaged by the respondents, ascertain the information needs of
tomato marketers on post-harvest practices, identify sources of information on post harvest practices among tomato marketers, and identify constraints to tomato post-harvest
practice in the study area. A two stage sampling technique was employed in this study. Data for this study were
obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through the use of structured questionnaire administered through interview schedule to Eighty (80) randomly selected respondents from the study area. Data obtained were analyzed using
Multiple Regressions. Results from the descriptive statistic showed that all (100%) of the respondents was
female, and majority (68.8%) was married. The mean age, mean household size, mean years of marketing experience and mean average monthly income were 42.16years, 4.83
members, 13.34years and N43,771.19 respectively. Majority (85%) of the respondents was educated and majority (98.8%) was Christians. Majority (75%) of the marketers were
members of an association and majority (93.8%) were retailers. The study showed that information on how best to preserve tomatoes, information on tomato storage, and
information on how best to transport tomatoes were the major information needs of tomato marketers in the study area. These information needs were adjudged as needed
information with all above the mean benchmark of 3.0. Information sources of tomato marketers were analyzed based on their availability, accessibility and preference. It was
observed that information sources such as; fellow marketers, friends and neighbours and marketers union or cooperative were available, accessible and preferred by the marketers,
with means above the benchmark of 2.0. The postharvest practices engaged by marketers were sorting, grading, cleaning, disinfecting, transportation and marketing. The major constraints to postharvest practices information needs of marketers were inadequate financial support, lack of knowledge of relevant postharvest handling information, and
poor language of information presentation. They all had mean above the benchmark of 2.5 and were adjudged to be serious. Multiple regressions showed that only membership of an association significantly correlated with information needs on postharvest practices at 1% level of significance. The study concluded that though the marketers were experienced due to high years of marketing experience, they still need information on postharvest practices to improve their knowledge and extension agents should conduct an outreach for tomato marketers to help inform them more on postharvest practice they require.
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