Drivers of consumer acceptability of cassava gari‐eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot)

Abstract

BACKGROUNDNigeria and Cameroon are multi‐ethnic countries with diverse preferences for food characteristics. The present study aimed to inform cassava breeders on consumer‐prioritized eba quality traits. Consumer testing was carried out using the triadic comparison of technologies (tricot). Diverse consumers in villages, towns and cities evaluated the overall acceptability of eba made from different cassava genotypes. Data from both countries were combined and linked to laboratory analyses of eba and the gari used to make it.RESULTSThere is a strong preference for eba with higher cohesiveness and eba from gari with higher brightness and especially in Cameroon, with lower redness and yellowness. Relatively higher eba hardness and springiness values are preferred in the Nigerian locations, whereas lower values are preferred in Cameroon. Trends for solubility and swelling power of the gari differ between the two countries. The study also reveals that the older improved cassava genotype TMS30572 is a benchmark genotype with superior eba characteristics across different regions in Nigeria, whereas the recently released variety Game changer performs very well in Cameroon. In both locations, the recently released genotypes Obansanjo‐2 and improved variety TM14F1278P0003 have good stability and overall acceptability for eba characteristics.CONCLUSIONThe wide acceptance of a single genotype across diverse geographical and cultural conditions in Nigeria, as well as three acceptable new improved varieties in both locations, indicates that consumers' preferences are surprisingly homogeneous for eba. This would enhance breeding efforts to develop varieties with wider acceptability and expand potential target areas for released varieties. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Gender-inclusive consumer studies improve cassava breeding in Nigeria

“…The G+ tool was used to document trait trade-offs (Forsythe et al, 2021;Polar et al, 2022) to corroborate priority ranks assigned to the traits. Going beyond sensory traits (e.g., taste), our studies also identified the influence of sociodemographic characteristics, location and food habits on the preferred quality traits of gari and eba in Nigeria Olaosebikan et al, 2023). There is now a well-established and cordial relationship among the economists, data curators, application developers, data analysts, statisticians, breeders, social scientists and food scientists as they work together to analyze traits and present them in an easy-to-understand format that can be incorporated into the breeding programs.…”

“…As a result of the successful gender studies, cassava breeding initiatives have recently prioritized two more food product profiles, focused on food security, and on improved nutritional quality and industrial needs. These include (1) processed foods, which extend the short shelf life of the cassava root, and (2) fresh cassava for eating after boiling at times of the year when yam is expensive or unavailable (Olaosebikan et al, 2023 ).…”

Genetic innovation gender strategy

“…mainly done by women, then the breeders' decision may have exacerbated gender inequality and increased the probability that women will avoid or discourage planting the variety (e.g. Dufour et al, 2023; see also, GBI diagram of breeders' critical decision points).…”

“…The design of gender-intentional product profiles requires a thorough characterization and understanding of the GI seed-based market segments, concerning gender demographics and gender relations in the crop's production or its use. This involves screening end-user populations for diversity that drives their varietal choice and adoption, analogous to screening for genetic diversity in plant populations ( van Etten et al 2023).…”

“…The criteria for assessing gender-intentional potential of advanced materials and the methods for user participation in applying them, are well understood, and integrated in several tools currently in use for evaluating varieties with users, including PPB with gender and PVS with gender, G+Tools, and gendered citizen science e.g. TRICOT ( van Etten et al 2020;Olaosebikan, 2023). Case studies of experience with gender-responsive variety development identified a reservoir of NARI and local partners' experience with these approaches that can be tapped by CG-NARES-SME networks (Tufan et al, 2023).…”