SOCIO ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF PROCESSING ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED CASSAVA PRODUCTS BY RURAL PROCESSORS IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the socio environmental effects of processing activities of selected cassava products by rural processors in south west Nigeria. Specifically, it ascertained the socio-economic characteristics of respondents; identified various processing practices among the respondents; perceptions of various processing activities on the environment; extent of use of various waste management practices; occupational hazards experienced; determined the contribution of cassava processing activities to Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emission volume and assessed the level of soil pH and microbial presence caused by cassava processing activities in the study area. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used for respondents’ selection. Ogun, Osun and Ondo states were purposively selected for the study because of volume of cassava production and processing in the states. Purposive sampling technique was used in selecting one (1) Local Government Area (LGA) each from the three (3) senatorial districts in the states because of volume of cassava production and processing. Third stage entailed purposive selection of three (3) processing clusters from each of the LGAs making a total of twenty seven (27) processing clusters because of volume of cassava production and processing. Random sampling was used to select ten (10) processors each from the twenty seven (27) clusters, making a total of two hundred and seventy (270) processors. The fifth stage entailed random selection of ten (10) non-processors from each of the processing cluster across all the nine (9) local governments making ninety (90) respondents. This resulted to a total number of 360 respondents being selected in all. Furthermore, two (2) soil samples of 40grams each were collected randomly from each of the processing locations from two local government each in each of the states resulting to a total soil samples of twenty four (24). Structured interview schedule was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and t-test at ˂ 0.05 . Findings indicated that the respondents’ mean age was 48 years, majority (82.5%) were female, married (83.9%) and Christians (71.9%). Household size mean was eight (8) persons while 76.6% of the respondents had formal education. The study revealed that most (58.7%) of the respondents were always involved in frying of cassava into cassava roasted granule with various processing activities at the factory site; 69.4% of the respondents were always involved in soaking of cassava for Fufu processing with various processing activities done at their houses; 13.5% of the respondents were always involved in the various processing stages of Pupuru at the processing site. Respondents’ perception of their processing activities showed that 42.5% had negative perception about their processing activitiescontribut contribution to the environments while 57.5% had a positive perception about the contribution of their processing activities to the environment. Major occupational hazards experienced by the respondents included backache (X̅ = 1.3), body smell/odour (X̅ = 1.3), eye redness (X̅ = 1.2). The volume of carbon emitted as a result of cassava processing activities in the study area revealed that frying of cassava roasted granule emitted 2,905,996 kg CO 2 e of CO 2 mainly from the use of wood and petrol; Pupuru processing emitted 393 kgC O2 e of CO 2 from grinding with 220,613 kg CO 2 e of CO 2 emitted from frying of Pupuru; Cooking was the only activity in the processing of Fufu that led to the emission of 1,030,913 kgCO 2 e of CO 2 . Analysis of soil pollution level revealed a very acidic pH of 4.35 for polluted site with 6.8 for the control soil sample. The study revealed that cassava roasted granule processing activities contributed the highest kgCO 2 e of CO 2 to the greenhouse gas mainly from the use of petrol and wood as source of energy out of the 3 selected cassava products. It is therefore recommended that training and workshop be given to the processors for the right perception about the effects of their activities on the environment. Renewable energy sources such as solar energy powered machines and gas should be made available at an affordable rate for the processors. Furthermore, awareness should be created on alternate uses of cassava wastes as means of generating income for the processors.