Factors that Influence Household Demand for Locally Produced Brown Rice in Ghana

Brown rice has a higher nutrient content than milled rice. This study determines the factors that influence the demand for local brown rice. The study achieves this by investigating the patterns of consumption of brown rice, attributes of the product that influence its consumption, factors that affect its consumption and the institutional support in the rice industry. Primary data on the attributes, factors and patterns of consumption of brown rice was obtained from respondents in the Volta and Greater Accra Regions using semi-structured questionnaire. Information on the functions of identified local institutions was obtained from the institutions. The data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics, Tobit model and the Chi-square test. The results of the study showed that taste is the major attribute that influence people to consume brown rice. Brown rice consumers are mostly those who have brown rice as a traditional diet. One of the attributes of brown rice that is keen as far as its consumption is concerned is its healthful benefits. The results of the Tobit regression model showed that the price of brown rice and the technical attributes of both brown rice and white rice (colour, taste, nutritional value, texture) and socioeconomic characteristics particularly (income) explain the share of brown rice in total rice consumption. Awareness creation of brown rice was found to be through friends and relatives. Acceptability ratio was found to be low. The results obtained from the chi-square test indicate that the local institutions that were important in brown rice development were the University of Ghana Agric Research Station (UGARS), MoFA, GTZ, JICA, ACDI/VOCA, AgSSIP, FINATRADE, USAID, GAWU, MFCS Ltd., and FBOs. It is therefore recommended that the media should be used more in the awareness creation of brown rice. Advocacy groups should do more in order to sensitize people on the healthful benefits of brown rice. The research also showed that most of the service organizations perform their functions effectively and therefore the government should continue to partner the donor agencies to enhance cooperation among brown rice promoters. These institutions are to cooperate with each other in order to enhance their operations. The Local Governance institutions such as Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies should provide support to the Department of community development, cooperatives and advocacy groups to lift up the campaign. Keywords: brown rice, consumption pattern, nutritional content, demand, awareness creation, demand