Determinants of Adoption of Post-Harvest Losses Prevention Techniques among Banana/Plantain Marketers in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the factors responsible for the adoption of post-harvest losses prevention techniques among plantain/banana marketers in Lagos State. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 69 marketers of plantain/banana in the study area and a structured questionnaire was administered on them. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The study revealed that the majority of the marketers were female (97.0%); the plantain/banana marketers affirmed that they suffered postharvest losses (100%). Few of the respondents (5.8%) adopted pre-cooling as a method of postharvest loss prevention technique, chemical treatment (16%), modified atmosphere packaging (17.4%), artificial ripening (5.8%), packaging (14.5%), handling and transportation (14.5%) and 26% indicated that they had no specific technique to prevent postharvest losses Factors influencing the adoption of modern techniques of preventing postharvest losses in plantain/banana by marketers were age (p<0.00), education (p<0.01,) extension agent contact (p<0.01) and income (p<0.01). It is thus recommended that government at all levels should legislate a law that will ban improper transportation of agricultural produce, most especially plantain/banana and encouragement of investment in Postharvest loss prevention technologies.