DERIVABLE BENEFITS ALONG VALUE ADDITION NODES AMONG RICE PROCESSORS IN NORTH-CENTRAL NIGERIA

Abstract

Processors add value to agricultural produce to compete favourably in open markets and derive maximum benefits. Value Addition (VA) towards enhancing derivable benefits in locally produced rice is particularly important in Nigeria. However, there is low patronage and acceptability despite the current government efforts in promoting local rice production. The VA along the rice value chain has been examined in past studies while data on derivable benefits within processing nodes are scanty. Therefore, benefits derived by processors in rice VA in North-central Nigeria were investigated. A four-stage sampling procedure was used. Two North-central states, Kwara and Niger were purposively selected due to their prominence in rice production. Ten per cent of the 16 and 25 Local Government Areas in Kwara and Niger states were selected, respectively. Thereafter, 10% of rice-growing communities and 10% of registered processors in each community were randomly selected to give 186 processors. An interview schedule was used to obtain data on processors’ characteristics (sex, marital status, primary occupation, source of labour and age); Activities that add Value to Rice-AVR (timely drying and threshing with the use of the mechanical device); attitude towards VA; accessibility to agricultural support services; Derivable Benefits-DB from Threshing and Winnowing-TW, drying, Parboiling, Cleaning and Dehusking-PCD, transportation, storage and constraints encountered. Indices of involvement in VA activities (low: 0.0-49.0, high: 50.0-59.0), attitude (unfavourable: 40.0-59.0, favourable: 60.0-85.0), accessibility to agricultural support services (low: 4.0-13.0, high: 14.0-22.0), DB (low: 21.0-46.0, high: 47.0-72.0): TW (low: 25.0-47.0, high: 48.0-66.0), drying (low: 22.0-48.0, high: 49.0-72.0), PCD (low: 30.0-51.0, high: 52.0-69.0), transportation (low: 35.0-50.0, high: 51.0-72.0) and storage (low: 22.0-40.0, high: 41.0-67.0) were generated. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson productmoment correlation, t-test and linear regression at 𝛼0.05. Most processors were female (70.4%), married (81.7%), practised farming as a primary occupation (54.3%), utilised family labour (35.5%) and aged 39.6±9.3 years. Involvement in the AVR was low (52.2%). Timely drying (13.7±2.63) and threshing using a mechanical device (13.6±2.71) were the most important AVR. Processors (52.1%) had an unfavourable attitude towards VA. Sixty-four per cent had low access to agricultural support services with agricultural thrift and cooperative society being the most accessed. Effective separation of rice and impurities (1.45±0.63), reduction of processing period (1.40±0.63), prolonged shelf life (1.39±0.62) and acceptability by users (1.50±0.61) were the most important DB from TW, drying, PCD and storage, respectively. Overall DB from VA was low (53.8%), while TW, PCD and transportation were low for 57.0%, 55.4% and 50.5% of the processors, respectively. However, 54.8% and 52.2% of the processors had high DB from drying and storage, respectively. Inadequate means of transporting the paddy was the major constraint (58.6%) in VA. Constraints (r=0.280) and attitude (r=0.546) significantly correlated with DB. Processors with high VA (48.31±8.42) had higher DB than processors with low VA (43.06±8.79). Parboiling (β = 0.180) and dehusking (β= 0.316) significantly predicted DB. Derivable benefits in value addition to rice in North-central Nigeria was low. Parboiling and dehusking enhanced derivable benefits, while the acceptability of grains by end-users is the most important derivable benefit.