Kenkey production, vending, and consumption practices in Ghana

Obodai, M.; Uduro-Yeboah, Charlotte; Amoa-Awua, Wisdom Kofi; Anyebuno, George; Ofori, Hayford; Annan, Theophilus; Mestres, Christian; Pallet, Dominique

doi:10.3362/2046-1887.2014.027

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Most producers processed 10-50 kg of maize into white kenkey weekly, and just under a third (28%) processed up to 50-100 kg of maize per week. This indicates that kenkey production is done on a small-scale artisanal level as reported by previous researchers [1,2,6]. Maize dough obtained after milling of steeped dehulled maize is the base raw material for white kenkey (sweetened or non-sweetened).…”

Section: Reasons For White Kenkey Production and Production Levelssupporting

confidence: 52%

“…They had large family sizes and in many cases (60%) were heads of households. White kenkey production is dominated by processors who learnt the trade from their family members; the trade is handed over from generations [2]. Consequently, majority (60%) of kenkey producers had little or no formal education.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The balls are loaded into a pot containing small amounts of water lined with sticks and maize husk and steamed for 1-2 h. In another processing procedure observed in Anum Township, the milled meal is kneaded into stiff dough and fermented spontaneously for 12 h. After fermentation, two-third portion of the dough is pre-cooked for about 30-60 min into ohu. The hot ohu is mixed with the remaining one-third uncooked dough as done for Ga and Fante kenkey [1,2].…”

Section: White Kenkey Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is prepared from maize that has been fermented into a sour meal and subsequently cooked. The basic steps in the production of kenkey are steeping and milling of maize grains which are kneaded with water and allowed to ferment spontaneously into a sourdough [1,2]. The dough is pre-cooked into a gelatinous paste and wrapped in dried plantain leaves or maize husk and cooked into kenkey.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, white kenkey is sometimes sweetened with sugar, which is not common with other forms of kenkey. The two types of white kenkey are 'non-sweetened' (nsiho) and 'sweetened' (asikyere dokunu) [2]. Commercial production of white kenkey and street vending make a sizeable contribution to the rural and urban economy and provide informal and self-employment opportunities [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Application of a value chain approach to understanding white kenkey production, vending and consumption practices in three districts of Ghana.

Yeboah¹,

Awua²,

Saalia³

et al. 2018

AJFAND

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Traditional processing and street vending of foods is a vital activity in the informal sector of the Ghanaian economy and offers livelihood for a large number of traditional food processors. Kenkey is a fermented maize 'dumpling' produced by traditional food processors in Ghana. Ga and Fante kenkey have received research attention and there is a lot of scientific information on kenkey production. White kenkey produced from dehulled maize grains is a less known kind of kenkey. A survey was held in three districts of Ghana to study production, vending and consumption of white kenkey and to identify major bottlenecks related to production, which can be addressed in studies to re-package kenkey for a wider market. Questionnaires were designed for producers, vendors and consumers of white kenkey to collate information on Socio-cultural data, processing technologies, frequency of production and consumption, product shelf life, reasons for consumption and quality attributes important to consumers using proportional sampling. The survey was conducted in white kenkey production zones and trade centers. Results showed that production of white kenkey is done on small-scale levels by middle-aged women in households with 10-50 kg of dehulled maize processed into white kenkey, 1-3 times weekly. A third (28%) of the women processed up to 50-100 kg of maize per week. Although 62% of vendors sell 50-100 balls of white kenkey daily, 15% of them sell more than 170 balls. Majority of consumers (45.9%) liked white kenkey because of its convenience (ready-to-eat). Texture and taste were quality attributes desired by kenkey consumers. Producers did not have written records of process controls and product throughputs. Inspite of their cottage nature, production of white kenkey is a profitable employment for producers and vendors and is popular among consumers. Product improvement, process and product characteristics could offer scale-up criteria for development of white kenkey production using standardized procedures for steeping times, steeping temperature and fermentation times.

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Section: Reasons For White Kenkey Production and Production Levelssupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: White Kenkey Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Application of a value chain approach to understanding white kenkey production, vending and consumption practices in three districts of Ghana.

Yeboah¹,

Awua²,

Saalia³

et al. 2018

AJFAND

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Gold Coast Foodways in the Nineteenth Century

Miller

2021

Food and Identity in a Globalising World

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Advance Equitable Livelihoods

Neufeld¹,

Huang

Badiane

et al. 2023

Science and Innovations for Food Systems Transformation

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Food system transformation provides the opportunity to shift current trends in all forms of malnutrition, prioritizing the availability and affordability of nutritious food for all – from shifting priorities in agricultural production, to improved food systems that favor nutrition and sustainability. The task of Action Track 4 is to explore approaches to doing so that will advance equitable livelihoods for producers, businesses, workers across the food system and consumers, with a particular emphasis on addressing inequalities and power imbalances. As the Science Group for AT 4, we explore the nature of these issues, using the drivers of food systems as articulated by the High Level Panel of Experts of the UN Committee on World Food Security (HLPE 2020) as framing. Small and medium-sized producers and people who rely on food systems in rural and urban areas for livelihoods are disproportionately affected by all biophysical and environmental drivers, including soil and water resources and climate change. Unequal opportunity in access to all types of resources reduces overall production, resilience and rural transformation. Advances in innovation, technology and infrastructure have had important impacts on food production and sustainability, transportation and processing along food value chains, marketing, and, ultimately, diets, including the consumption of both nutritious and unhealthy foods. However, achievement of equitable livelihoods in food systems will require that issues of access to contextually suitable innovation and technology, inclusive of indigenous knowledge, be substantially enhanced. Many economic and political factors can be essential causes of inequality and power imbalances at the household, community, national and global levels, which may constrain the ability of food system transformation to deliver poverty reduction and sustainable, equitable livelihoods. Finally, vast evidence illustrates that several socio-cultural and demographic drivers underpin inequalities among and within societies and constrain the potential for some to benefit from actions to improve their livelihoods, particularly women, youths, the disabled, the elderly and indigenous peoples. These issues have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is having a significant impact on global commodity markets and trading systems, economic growth, incomes, and poverty levels, with a likely disproportionate burden falling on vulnerable communities in both urban and rural areas. This is likely to worsen inequalities and set back progress against poverty and hunger goals. To address these issues, we must transform not only food systems, but the structures and systems that continue to enable and exacerbate inequities. Drivers of food system inequities are highly interconnected, and progress in addressing one will likely require change across several. For example, globalization and trade interact with other powerful drivers, especially technology resource mobilization and demographic trends, which shape food production, distribution, and consumption. Hence, in the final section, we reflect on several factors that should be part of effective solutions for combating inequalities in food systems, including rights-based approaches. We then share a series of recommendations aimed at enhancing inclusive decision-making, protecting the livelihoods of those living in situations of vulnerability while creating opportunities, adapting institutions and policies to favor equitable food system livelihoods, and increasing investment so as to realize the potential of improved institutional and policy actions. We invite governments, businesses, and organizations to hold themselves and others to account in advancing equitable livelihoods, and open avenues towards realizing the potential of science, innovation, technology, and evidence to favor equitable livelihoods.

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Kenkey production, vending, and consumption practices in Ghana

Cited by 11 publications

References 4 publications

Application of a value chain approach to understanding white kenkey production, vending and consumption practices in three districts of Ghana.

Application of a value chain approach to understanding white kenkey production, vending and consumption practices in three districts of Ghana.

Gold Coast Foodways in the Nineteenth Century

Advance Equitable Livelihoods

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