Problem statement: Less than half the rice consumed in Nigeria was produced locally. Following the sudden rise in the price of imported rice since 2007, Nigerians, no doubt, have faced great risk of increase in the number of hungry by many millions of people. This study unveiled the challenges faced by rice consumers in a rice producing region in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Approach: Five hundred respondents were randomly selected and examined in 16 of the 69 residential quarters which constituted the 6 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the study region. Data analysis was carried out using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages. Results: Research findings revealed that: (i) the level of consumption of Igbemo rice was high (ii) the product was characterized by contamination (iii) quantity made available in the markets has reduced largely as (iv) production was predominantly seasonal. Conclusion: Policy interventions were advocated based on research findings for improved food security in the region.
In Nigeria today, there is the growing concern for food security, with particular focus on rice being a staple food. If effective policies must be made to impact rice production, it is important to appreciate the phenomena underlying the consumption in the first place. This study, therefore, examines the rice consumers in a rice producing region in Ekiti State Nigeria vis-à-vis the interrelated factors influencing consumption. Five hundred (500) respondents were randomly selected and interviewed in Eighteen (18) of the sixty nine (69) residential quarters that constitute the six (6) Local Government Areas (LGAs) which represent the study region. The study employed the Pearson’s Correlation test of the consumers variables. Findings discovered strong relationship between; (i) Sex of consumers, (ii) their level of education, (iii) income, (iv) household size, (v) the source of the local rice consumed, (vi) availability of the rice, (vii) how regularly if is consumed, (viii) the quality, (ix) price, and (x) the need to strengthen production at source. Suggestions for policy measures were offered based on research findings.