Assessment of Food Processing Practices Among Small-Scale Agro- Processors: Assessment of Adoption and Determinants
Abstract
This study assessed food processing practices among small-scale agro-processors and examined factors influencing the adoption of improved food processing technologies. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and primary data were collected from 350 agro-processors using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and Multivariate Probit regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results revealed that the majority of respondents were within the productive age group with a mean age of 42 years, while 70.00% were males and 95.43% were married. The most commonly adopted food processing practices were cleaning and sorting (94.29%), hand washing (93.71%), equipment sanitation (91.43%), washing (90.57%), and drying (88.57%). The MVP results indicated that membership of associations, access to information, years of education, processing experience, access to credit, extension services, and distance to market significantly influenced adoption of food processing practices. Covariance estimates revealed complementary relationships among several food processing practices. The study concludes that socio-economic and institutional factors play important roles in influencing the adoption of food processing technologies. The study recommends improved access to processing equipment, extension services, training programs, and affordable credit facilities to enhance food processing efficiency and food safety compliance among small-scale agro-processors.
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