ABSTRACT
The study assessed the perceived health benefits and utilization of Moringa tree products Moringa oleifera among rural households of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study described the socio-economic characteristics of the rural households; determine the extent of utilization of Moringa oleifera by the respondents; examine the perceived health benefits of Moringa oleifera utilization; determine the factors influencing the extent of utilization of Moringa oleifera and examine the constraints associated with Moringa oleifera utilization in the study area. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 244 respondents on which structured questionnaire was employed to obtain primary data. Data collected were analysed with descriptive Statistics as well as attitudinal measuring scale such as Likert rating scale. The results revealed that most (60.7%) of the respondents were within the age range of 31 – 60 years with a mean age of 40 years, while majority (84.0%) of the respondents acquired one form of formal education or the other (primary, secondary and tertiary) with a mean of 13 years of formal schooling. More so, majority (99.2%) of the respondents utilized Moringa leaves, followed by Moringa Fruits/Seeds (89.8%), Moringa roots (87.7%) and Moringa barks (64.3%). In terms of extent of utilization, Moringa leaves ( ̅ = 2.84), Moringa fruits/seeds ( ̅ = 2.07) and Moringa roots ( ̅ = 2.05) recorded the highest extent of utilization among the Moringa tree products in the study area. On the perceived health benefits of Moringa oliofera tree products, the respondents agreed to all the health benefits of Moringa tree products that it is effective in the treatment of High Blood Pressure ( ̅ = 4.23) ranked 1st . The result of Logit regression estimate revealed Pseudo R2 of 0.4189 and Chi–squared statistic of 141.01 statistically significant at p<0.01 probability level implying goodness of fit of the overall model. Variables such as marital status (2.05, p<0.05), household size (2.04, p<0.05), education (2.83, p<0.01), farming experience (1.82, p<0.1), cooperative membership (1.83 p<0.1), access to credit (3.23, p<0.01), moringa products (6.48, p<0.01), purpose of utilization (2.79, p<0.01) and perceived health benefits (2.17, p<0.05) were found to influence extent of Moringa oleifera tree products utilization. The major constraints indicated by the respondents were inadequate finance to purchase Moringa ( ̅ = 2.70), poor access to credit facilities ( ̅ = 2.61) and inadequate extension services ( ̅ = 2.32) ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The study concluded that the respondents had positive perception about health benefits of Moringa oliofera tree products, while the leaves, fruits/seeds and roots are the most utilized tree products. It was therefore recommended that adequate awareness should be created through extension agency on the need to utilize Moringa oliofera tree products
INTRODUCTION
As Green IT has been issued, many companies have started to find ways to decrease IT cost and overcome econ...
ABSTRACT
A significant contribution to the development and survival of business organization is the role that auditors p...
Abstract
This study examined people’s perception of the abuse of democracy in the socio-political development. Th...
ABSTRACT
This study sought to find out the barriers affecting implementation of ...
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Taxation is not a new word in Nigeria or the world as a whole. In Nigeria...
Abstract
Public enterprises in Nigeria Have not lived up to expectations. Rather, their existences have...
Abstract:- The importance of school environment to students in secondary schools today in particular cannot be ov...
Abstract
This study is on the statistical analysis of the expenditure and income of Nigeria in relation to poverty...
ABSTRACT
This research is aimed at assessing the causes and effects of drug abuse on the performance of secondary school...
EXCERPT FROM THE STUDY
The dairy food market in Nigeria is competitive and is dominated by a few brands. The advent of new brands of Milk...