This document summarizes a study on identifying the preferences of cassava product ("gari") end users in Benue State, Nigeria. The study found that farmers preferred cassava varieties with heavy, long roots that are not rotten or woody, while processors preferred varieties with white, dry peeled roots and less water in the mash. Marketers and consumers preferred gari that is shiny, dry, heavy, sweet with no lumps or smooth and white in color. The preferences identified will help breeders develop new cassava varieties that meet the needs of all end users.

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IDENTIFICATION OF END USERS
PREFERENCES OF A CASSAVA PRODUCT
(“GARI”) IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
by
*Osunbade, O.A., 1Adejuyitan, J.A., 1Akinwande,
B.A., and 2Maziya-Dixon, B

2. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
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INTRODUCTION
•Background to the study
● Global Production of Cassava
● “Gari” Production in Nigeria
● Cassava End Users
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Figure 1:Leading World Producer of Cassava.
(Source: FAO 2016)
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Figure 2:The major cassava producing state in Nigeria
(Source: FAO 2004)
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Who are the End-Users of cassava?
Farmers
Processors
Marketers
Consumers
FIG 3: END-USERS CYCLE
Forsythe et al, 2018.
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End-users of a cassava product (gari)
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Problem Statement
• In the past years, breeding of an improved cassava
varieties focused on the preferred traits by farmers in
Nigeria.
• And Other end users were given less attention and not
considered by the breeders during breeding of
improved cassava varieties.
• However, there is a problem of acceptability of
improved varieties by other end users
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Aim and Objectives
Aim:
● The aim of the project is to identify the
preferred traits of “gari” by end users for
the purpose of improved breeding program.
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Objectives
The objectives of the study are to:
● determine end user’s preference characteristics of
“gari” through survey.
● establish descriptors for sensory characteristics of
“gari”, and
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Justifications
● Previous studies have shown that breeding of improved cassava
varieties focused on preferred traits by the farmers at the expense of
traits preferences of other end users (Abass et al, 2014).
● However, there is a gap of knowledge of trait preferences among
different user groups, particularly food processors, retailers and
consumers.
● This, therefore, necessitate breeding of new improved varieties that
has to meet end users preferred characteristics.
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Materials and Methods
Materials:
• A well structured questionnaire
• Key informant (KI)- (2KI)
•Focused Group (FGD)-8 male and 8 female group.
• Individual Respondent (10 IDI).
• Market interview (MI)- 1 Marketer in each of the four (4) selected communities.
Methods
The following activities were carried out according to Forsythe et al, 2018.
•2KI interviews
•8 male and 8 female group interviews
• (10 IDI)
• 1 MI

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METHODOLOGY (cont’d)
SURVEY IN 4
COMMUNITIES GROWN
AND CONSUMED THE
CROP
KEY INFORMANT
INTERVIEW
KII
FOCUSED GROUP
INTERVIEW
FGD
IDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
IDI
MARKET INTERVIEW
MI
Forsythe et al, 2018 12FIG 4: KEY INFORMANTS INTERVIEWS

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Figure 5: Benue State Senatorial Districts
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Methods (con’td)
• Criteria for selection of survey site.
Four (4) community that are major producers and
consumers of gari in Benue State, Nigeria
(Tyo-mu, Shangevya, NyamII, and Al’Okete).
• Data collection procedure: well structured
questionnaires were used for data collection from
the respondents.
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Data Analysis
Socio-economic and
demographic analysis
Qualitative
analysis on
IDI data
Qualitative
analysis on
FGD data
Qualitative
analysis on
MI data
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Forsythe et al, 2012

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RESULTS
Table 1: Quality characteristics of gari identified by the
respondents
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Activity Location 1
(Tyo-mu)
Location 2
(Shangevya-Koti)
Location 3 (NyamII) Location 4 (Al’Okete)
FGD White, Lumps, woody ,
Sandy, Clean, Tasteless
Good aroma, Sweet
Good taste, Dry, No
woody
White, Dryness, Cooked
smell, Smooth
Shining, Yellow
Sourness, Sweet
Dark, Woody
Smoothness, Dryness,
Shining, Dark
Yellow, White
Sourness, Sweet
Not sweet, No woody
Weight, Neat, Good
aroma, Dusty, Fine
Not dusty, Sour
Smooth, White,Yellow
No woody.
IDI Sweet, woody, Dry
Good appearance, Less-
lump, Shining, No-
woody, Dark, Not dry
Lumps, No taste, Good
taste, Smooth, Cooked
aroma, No woody.
No woody, Shining
Weight in hand, Smooth
Sweet, Good smell,
Cooked aroma, Dark
Swelling, Sand, No taste
good taste, Sour.
No woody, Shining
Bright, Smooth
Sour, Dry, Good aroma
No lumps, Dark, Big,
lumps, Not dry, No taste
Odour, Good taste, No
woody.
Dry, Smooth, White
Sweet, Sour, Yellow
Dark, Chaff , Not dry,
Dusty, Weight, Bland,
Dull, Lighter, No
woody.
MI White/ yellow Colour,
heavy, sweetness,,
Dryness
White/ yellow Colour,
Sweetness, Dryness
Heavy, white colour
Dryness , sweetness
White/ yellow colour,
heavy, no lumps
sweetness , weightiness.

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Table 2: The most preferred traits by cassava end-users in Benue State
Stake holders Preferred traits
Farmers 1. heavy root 4. no woody root
2.big & long root 5. not rotten
3.strong
Processors 1. white root after peeling
2. dry cake
3. less water in the mash
Marketers 1. sweet taste 4. heavy gari
2. Smoothness 5. shinning gari
3. good aroma
Consumers 1. shinning gari 4. no lumps
2. dry gari 5. white colour
3. Sweet gari
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Table 3: Relationship between raw material
characteristics and final product quality characteristics
Final product Quality characteristics Characteristics of Raw Material for a
good final products
Color Dry matter content
Taste Starch granule,
Particle size Shape and size
Mouldability Water absorption
Stickness Amylose and Amylopectin ratio,
Swelling power/ capacity
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CONCLUSION
• Findings from this study showed that farmers preferred
heavy, big and long, no woody and not rotten root, while
processors preferred white root, cassava mash with high
dry matter, dry cake, and marketers and consumers
preferred shinny, dry, heavy, sweet, no lumps/ smooth, and
white gari.
• These information will help breeders to develop improved
cassava varieties that will be acceptable by all the end
users.
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REFERENCES
• Abass A., Dziedzoave, N.T., Alenkhe, B.E., and James B.D (2012). Quality
management manual for the production of “gari”. IITA, Ibadan,
Nigeria. ISBN 000-000-00000-0-0. Pg 11-12.
• FAO, (2016). Food Outlook. Biannual report on global food markets ISBN 978-92-
5-130012-1
• Forsythe, L., Fliedel G., Tufan, H., Kleih, Bechoff, A., Tomlins, K (2018). RTBfoods
Methodological Guidelines for Multiple-user Preferences and Product
Profiling in RTB Value Chains. CIRAD, UMR Qualisud, Montpellier
(France). RTBfoods Methodology Project Report, 30p.
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Thanks for
Listening
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