Orphan crops utilization in rural household diets and factors mitigating against their cultivation among farmers in South-West Nigeria

Abstract

Orphan crops are indigenous and underutilized crops with significant potential for improving food and nutrition security, but their cultivation has continued to decline in many parts of Nigeria. This study examined the utilization of orphan crops in rural household diets and the factors mitigating their cultivation among farmers in South-West Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 540 farming households from three states (Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo). Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that several orphan crops, including pearl millet (97.22%), yam bean (87.78%), Bambara groundnut (85.00%), worowo (81.11%), and breadfruit (71.67%), were widely consumed by rural households. However, the cultivation of most of these crops remained relatively low, with many households depending on wild collection rather than on-farm production. The major factors mitigating their cultivation were inadequate seeds and planting materials (WMS=1.64), lack of processing equipment (WMS=1.64), lack of institutional support (WMS=1.59), and slow maturity (WMS=1.51). Conversely, pest infestation, poor knowledge of preparation, market unavailability, poor shelf life, cultural stigma, and lack of awareness were identified as minor constraints. The study concludes that orphan crops continue to play an important role in rural household diets in South-West Nigeria but remain undercultivated due to institutional and production-related constraints. It was recommended that the government should provide support through improved seed systems and the development of viable value chains to promote the cultivation and utilization of orphan crops.