Assessment of Training Modes for Capacity Building of Homemakers in Plantain Processing and Utilization for Enhanced Food Security in Delta State

Abstract

Although plantain is an important staple food in Delta state with high nutritional value, its vulnerability to perishability and its poor post-harvest handling practices are still a challenge to food security of the households. Agricultural extension can be a solution, but there is no evidence on the type of training modalities that are most effective for female homemakers, who are the main actors in domestic food processing. This study sought to fill this gap by evaluating capacity building training preferences of homemakers in processing and utilization of plantain products. Descriptive survey design was used in the study, with the target population comprising the female homemakers who trade plantain in five selected Local Government Areas (LGA) in Delta State. 384 respondents were selected through stratified random sampling and 309 questionnaires were obtained and used for this study. Mean scores, standard deviations and t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance were employed to analyze data for preference and test for differences between the rural and urban respondents. The results indicated that homemakers are highly favorable towards modern electronic and digital training mode, with a grand mean score of 3.31 which is higher than the criterion of 2.50. The television programmes were the most popular (3.69), followed by social media platforms (3.56) and radio programmes (3.50). The results of hypothesis testing did not show any significant difference between the preferences of the rural and urban homemakers (p = 0.41) which means that there is no variance in the demand for accessible and technology driven extension delivery in both the rural and urban area. The study suggests a change from the traditional, manual-based workshops to hybrid training models based on a digital approach for agricultural policies and extension practitioners.