DOI: 10.18167/dvn1/bfo2vu
title: Gendered Gari/Eba product profile in Nigeria

description: The WP1 Gendered Food Product Profile for Gari-Eba in Nigeria reflects the final step (step 5) of an interdisciplinary five-step methodology developed to identify demand for quality characteristics among diverse user groups along the food chain (Forsythe et al., 2022). This methodology includes: step 1) interdisciplinary state of knowledge of the product ; step 2) gendered food mapping, which includes participatory research with men and women in rural communities regarding their product preferences and priorities; step 3) participatory processing diagnosis and quality characteristics ; and step 4) consumer studies in rural and urban areas of the product using different RTB varieties. Results from step 1 and 2 have been published in Robert Ndjouenkeu, Franklin Ngoualem Kegah, Béla Teeken, Benjamin Okoye, Tessy Madu, Olamide Deborah Olaosebikan, Ugo Chijioke, Abolore Bello, Adebowale Oluwaseun Osunbade, Durodola Owoade, Noel Hubert Takam-Tchuente, Esther Biaton Njeufa, Isabelle Linda Nguiadem Chomdom, Lora Forsythe, Busie Maziya-Dixon & Geneviève Fliedel (2021). From cassava to Gari: mapping of quality characteristics and end-user preferences in Cameroon and Nigeria. International Journal of Food science and Technology, 56(3), 1223-1238. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14790. The WP1 Gendered Food Product Profile for Gari-Eba in Nigeria has been agreed by a multidisciplinary team based on the evidence collected on preferred quality characteristics at each step and assessed for their potential harm and benefit for women, based on an adapted G+ tool (publication pending by Forsythe et al.).  The cassava breeding product profile for Gari-Eba has to to align with the traits demanded by producers as well as processors and consumers especially because the Gari-Eba food product includes so many labour and energy demanding processing stages. RTB foods work package 1 research activities therefore included literature review, surveys with all value chain actors, participatory processing and consumer testing to illicit key traits important for especially processors and consumers in high cassava producing and consuming states in the Southwest (Osun) and North Central (Benue). A triangulation of all the data obtained prioritized key quality characteristics/traits (PQT). At pre-harvest these are early bulking, weed competitiveness, dry matter stability, and stem storability; at harvest (raw root stage) these are high yield with good root size/shape, high dry matter and multiple use of cassava. High dry matter and its stability cut across all the evaluations stages. During processing, PQTs include minimal processing drudgery (including ease of peeling), non-discolouration and product yield. For the Gari intermediate and Eba final product, colour and amount of swelling are both important while texture is crucial to Eba. Gender impact scores per trait validate that the top PQTs are all essential-must have traits from a gender perspective across the various stages. For instance, the multiple product-use of cassava enables men and especially women to make choices related to profit, household food needs, and different workload involved for different final products. There might be trade-offs in simultaneously stressing traits majorly important for women. Triangulated results complement earlier evidence (Teeken et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14862) indicating that in cultures that use more fermentation there could be a trade-off between high yield and dry matter on the one hand and food product quality on the other. Concerning processing drudgery, there seems to be a trade-off with regards to ease of peeling. High dry matter roots are often less easy to peel and this less easiness to peel is often considered by processors as an indication that the root has less water, so is positively appreciated. Further inquiry is needed into the relation between drudgery, quantity related traits (dry matter, dry matter stability, field yield, food product yield), food product quality and root quality (security). PQTs at each processing stage and the corresponding gender impact scenario information with regards to positive benefits and possible harm to actors engaged in the cassava VC activities, are crucial to inform socially inclusive breeding strategies.