Women Willingness to Pay for Mechanical Cassava Grater Developed by the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyzed women willingness to pay (WTP) for the mechanical cassava grater developed by the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) in selected Local Government Areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 52 respondents in the iterative bidding game as sample size for the study. Cross sectional data were collected at the selected cassava processing centers located at Osi, Esie and Sabo Oke in each of the selected local government area using open-ended contingent valuation (CV) questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression models. The results revealed that majority (38.5%) of the respondents had average monthly income of N46, 019.33, indicating that they were low income earners. Data collected elicited socio-economic characteristics of respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that majority (38.5%) of the respondents were low income earners with average income of N46, 019.33. The study found that only 17.3% of the respondents stated that they were willing to pay the maximum price of N600, 000 for the mechanical grater which is below the actual selling price of N650, 000 proposed by NCAM. The results further indicated that the major constraints militating the respondents’ willingness to pay for cassava mechanical Grater include high cost of grater, lack of durability and unawareness of its advantages in the study area.