KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE

ASSESSING THE MARKETING POTENTIAL OF INSECT PROTEIN IN THE

KUMASI METROPOLIS A CASE STUDY OF THE LARVAE OF AFRICAN PALM

WEEVIL (RHYNCHOPHORUS PHOENISIS)

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND

NATURAL RESOURCES,

KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI,

GHANA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD

BSC. (HONS) IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

BY

BENANTE VICTOR

MAY, 2018

I
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that, except for references to works of other researchers which have duly been

cited, this thesis consists entirely of research conducted by me at the Kwame Nkrumah University

of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. I further declare that no part of this work

has been presented for another degree elsewhere.

II
 DEDICATION

I dedicate this work to my mother who is in the person of Mrs Mary Dapu, my four siblings who

are, Mrs Juliana Agbanyo, Mrs Felicia Tekpo, Mrs Mercy kpewu and my only brother Mr Francis

Benante. I also dedicate this work to my roommates, Messrs Halim Osman, Messrs Forson Festus

and Messrs Adunya Isaac and to all Animal Science students of Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science and Technology 2018 batch.

III
 ACKNOLEDGEMENT

All thanks be to the Almighty God, the Alpha and the Omega for seeing me through this project

work. I am so grateful for his protections and guidance throughout the entire four year program.

My second thanks goes to my mother for being a strong tower behind me since the day I was born

till this day, and onto my siblings for doing their possible best to pay my fees and any other

expenses I ever incurred throughout the four years of my Bachelor degree pursuit. My next

appreciation goes to my supervisor, who is in the person of Professor Comfort Charity Atuahene,

God bless her for her ideas, subjections, support and love she showed me during this project work.

I was really fortunate having her as my supervisor because she is a loving grandmother. My next

appreciation goes to Mr Michael Adu Amankrah, who has been the pillar behind this work, you

spared a whole lot of your time, reading, correcting, giving suggestions and so many more, I am

so much grateful and I say God bless you. My next appreciation goes to Mr Bernard Quaye and

Mr Obed Opoku for their endless love they showed me during this project work. My final

appreciation goes to Mr Gunu Elikplim for his support during the data collection part of this work.

IV
 ABSTRACT

Entomophagy is widely practised in Ghana. Insects such as Termites, Ground crickets, Locusts,

etc. are mostly considered a delicacy among most communities. African palm weevil larvae

(APWL) is one of such insects which is attracting public attention. It was revealed in a research

that APWL is the most consumed insect in Ghana as compared to the other insects, hence there is

the need to assess the possibility of producing it on a large scale. A survey was conducted to assess

the marketing potentials of the larvae in the Kumasi Metropolis (Ghana). Questionnaires consisting

of both open and close ended questions were administered to 400 respondents. The results of the

study revealed that, a majority of the respondents were aware of the larvae, but it was only a few

of them that had consumed the larvae. The majority of the respondents who had never consumed

the larvae indicated that the nature of the larvae put them off as far as consuming the larvae was

concerned. These respondents gave suggestions that if other products could be made from the

larvae, they will be will to patronise those products. It was also revealed that as family size

increased, the quantity of larvae that consumers were willing to purchase also increased. The

market potential for APWL was empirically estimated at GH¢5,699.2 per month.

V
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE…………………………………………………………………………………….I
DECLARATION.......................................................................................................................... II

DEDICATION............................................................................................................................. III

ACKNOLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................. IV

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. V

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... VI

LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... IX

LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... X

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................... XI

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1

1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ......................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM ............................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY......................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

1.4 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................................... 3

1.5 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 4

2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 4

2.1 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION ON FOOD PRODUCTS ............................ 4

2.1.1 Consumer willingness to pay for insects products ............................................................. 6

2.1.2 Characteristics of insect’s products affecting consumer willingness to purchase/consume

.......................................................................................................................................... 6

VI
2.2 UNSUSTAINABLE NATURE OF THE CONVENTIONAL ANIMAL PRODUCTS .................................. 7

2.3 INSECTS AS ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF PROTEIN. ..................................................................... 8

2.4 NOTABLE EDIBLE INSECTS IN GHANA ................................................................................... 10

2.5 NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF SOME INSECTS ........................................................................... 12

2.6 NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF PALM WEEVIL LARVAE (RHYNCHOPHORUS PHOENICIS) ............. 17

CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................... 20

3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 20

3.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 20

3.2 STUDY AREA ......................................................................................................................... 20

3.3 SURVEY DESIGN.................................................................................................................... 21
3.3.1 Data collection ................................................................................................................. 22

3.3.2 Research population ......................................................................................................... 22

3.3.3 Sample size calculation .................................................................................................... 22

3.3.4 Sampling method ............................................................................................................. 22

3.3.5 Source of data .................................................................................................................. 23

3.3.6 Questionnaire design ........................................................................................................ 23

3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................... 24

3.5 MARKET POTENTIAL ESTIMATION ........................................................................................ 23

CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 25

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................................ 25

4.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 25

4.1.1 Demographic characteristics ............................................................................................ 25

VII
4.1.2 Consumer Knowledge on African Palm Weevil Larvae Products and Sources of

Information ..................................................................................................................... 27

4.1.3 Discussion of the consumption pattern of consumers of African Palm Weevil Larvae. . 32

4.1.4 Discussion on consumer preference of African Palm Weevil Larvae over other animal
products........................................................................................................................... 34

4.1.5 Responses on consumer knowledge of nutritional benefits and health implications of

African Palm Weevil Larvae and source of information. ............................................... 35

4.1.6 Response on consumer purchase characteristics.............................................................. 37

4.2 DISCUSSION OF EMPIRICAL RESULT ...................................................................................... 39

4.2.1 Age of respondents and their knowledge about African Palm Weevil Larvae. ............... 39

4.2.2 Age distribution and consumption pattern of African Palm Weevil Larvae. .................. 40

4.2.3 Gender of respondent and their consumption pattern of African Palm Weevil Larvae ... 41

4.2.4 Discussion on family size and quantity purchased .......................................................... 42

4.2.5 Estimation of market size................................................................................................. 42

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 44

5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATION ................................................................ 44

5.1 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................... 44

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................ 44

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 45

APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................. 55

VIII
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Major edible insects of Ghana ........................................................................................ 12

Table 2: Nutritional composition (%) of some edible insects ...................................................... 14

Table 3: Fatty acid component of some selected insects .............................................................. 16

Table 4: Minerals and ash content of five selected insect (m g/100 g)......................................... 17

Table 5: Amino acid profile of Rhynchophorus phoenisis larvae (mg/100g protein) .................. 18

Table 6: Proximate composition of Rhynchophorus phoenisis larvae (%dry weight) ................. 19

Table 7: Socio demographic characteristics of respondents ......................................................... 26

Table 8: Consumption pattern of respondents on African Palm Weevil Larvae. ......................... 33

Table 9: Consumer knowledge on nutritional benefits and health implications and the source of

information of African Palm Weevil. ............................................................................. 37

Table 10: Age distribution and consumer knowledge of African Palm Weevil Larvae. .............. 40

Table 11: Age of respondents and consumption of the larvae...................................................... 41

Table 12: Mapping gender with consumption of larvae ............................................................... 41

Table 13: Family size and quantities they will be willing to purchase ......................................... 42

Table 14: Empirical estimation of market potential of African Palm Weevil Larvae (per month)

........................................................................................................................................ 43

IX
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Map of the Kumasi Metropolis ..................................................................................... 21

Figure 2: Consumer Knowledge on African Palm Weevil Larvae Products. .............................. 27

Figure 3: Source of information about African Palm Weevil Larvae. ......................................... 28

Figure 4: Information given to consumers.................................................................................... 29

Figure 5: Consumer’s reactions to the information given ............................................................ 30

Figure 6: Respondents reactions after receiving the information ................................................. 31

Figure 7: Reasons why respondent disliked the information given them. .................................... 32

Figure 8: Consumer preference of African Palm Weevil Larvae over other products. ................ 35

Figure 9: The form in which consumers will be willing to purchase African Palm Weevil Larvae.

...................................................................................................................................... 38

Figure 10: Places where consumer will be willing to purchase African Palm Weevil Larvae. ... 39

X
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

WTP………………Willingness to pay

APWL…………….African Palm Weevil Larvae

BC………………...before christ

CBD………………Central Business District

CTA…………..…..Centre Technique de Cooperation Rurale et Agricole

EAA………………Essential amino acids

FAO………………Food and Agricultural Organisation

GDHS…………….Ghana Demographic Health Survey

GSS……………….Ghana Statistical Service

IDS………………. Institute of Development Studies

KMA……………...Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly

KNUST…………...Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

MOFA…………….Ministry of Food and Agriculture

SPSS……………....Statistical Package for Social Sciences

TV………………...Television

WHO………….........World Health Organisation

XI
 CHAPTER ONE

1 INTRODUCTION

The Earth's population is increasing at a fast rate, demand for food is increasing proportionally

(Van Huis et al., 2013). The population of the world is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050 so the

need for food, fuel, fibre, settlement etc. must be met with minimal ecological footprint

(Ramaswany, 2015). Feeding this population will definitely have implications on the production

of food from plant sources such as maize, wheat, rice, yam, cassava etc. and animal sources such

as cattle, sheeps, goats, swine, poultry etc. The production of these conventional foods must be

doubled in order to meet the needs of these growing population. The arable lands that will be used

for this production is been subjected to destruction by human activities, and so it will be difficult

if not impossible to do such double production. For this reason, there will be every need to get an

alternative source of food whose production will be environmentally friendly and require minimal

space.

Insects have long been used as human food and animal feed in West Africa (Kenis and Hein, 2014;

Riggi et al., 2013). It is estimated that 1,900 species of insects are consumed by over two billion

people in about 80 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas (Van Huis et al., 2013). The

various developmental stages of edible insects such as eggs, larvae, pupae, nymphs and adults can

be eaten as food (Anankware et al., 2015). Oxford dictionary defines the term Entomophagy as

the practice of eating insects as food especially by humans. Entomophagy can be sustainable and

has economic, nutritional and ecological benefit for rural communities (Gahukar et al., 2011). Van

Huis et al., (2013) and Ramaswany, (2014) discovered the reason for the promotion of

entomophagy among communities as follows;

1
 I. Insects are healthy and nutritious alternatives to mainstream staples such as chicken, pork,

beef and even fish because many insects contain protein and are lower in fat than traditional

meats, and high in calcium, iron and zinc.

II. Insects are cold-blooded and are therefore very efficient at converting feed into protein.

III. Since insects require less space and food, the ecological footprint of insects as food is

smaller than that of traditional livestock.

IV. Insects used as food emit considerably fewer greenhouse gases than most livestock.

Methane for instance, is produced by only a few insect groups such as termites

(Macrotermes bellicosus) and cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). Ammonia emissions

associated with insect rearing are also far lower than those linked to conventional livestock,

such as pigs (Van Huis et al., 2013; Ramaswany, 2014).

The larvae of palm weevil (Rynchophorus spp.) are consumed in Asia (R. ferrugineus), Africa (R.

phoenicis) and Latin America (R. palmarum). Their delicious taste is credited to their elevated fat

content (Fasoranti and Ajiboye, 1993; Cerda et al., 2001). In the tropics, hosts of the insect are

found all year-round, and this promote the sustained existence of the insect. Often these hosts are

raffia or palm trees under stress; or trees previously damaged by other insects, notably rhinoceros

beetles (Oryctes spp.) or by the local tapping of palm wine (Fasoranti and Ajiboye, 1993). Van

Itterbeeck and Van Huis (2012) noted that many indigenous people have excellent ecological

knowledge of palm weevil and can increase its availability through semi-cultivation practices.

Almost 20% of maternal deaths in Ghana are caused by iron-deficiency anaemia, while 76% of

children aged under 2 are anaemic, more than four in 10 women aged 15 to 49 suffer from low

blood iron levels (GDHS, 2014). Generally, edible insects have been found to contain substantial

amounts of nutrients vital for the human body. A study on 236 edible insect species have identified

2
satisfactory levels of essential macronutrients, which are protein, fat, calcium, vitamin,

Carbohydrate etc. and micronutrients such as iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper, magnesium

etc. (Rumpold et al., 2013). Hundred (100) grams of beef contains about 12.5mg of iron, whereas

African palm weevil larvae (APWL) contain more than twice (26.5 mg per 100g) that quantity

(Bukkens, 2005). If this insect is accepted as one of the nationwide staple foods, anaemia which

has become a problem in our villages and some parts of the cities as a result of people’s inability

to afford balanced diets will be minimized. The problem however stands on whether Ghanaians

will be willing to accept this form of food (ingredients)

Current researches are exploring ways of rearing and producing African palm weevils (R.

phoenicis) in a more sustainable manner without felling the oil palm trees (Anankware et al.,

2015). The various efforts being made by farmers to produce this product in large quantities will

be useless if patronage of the product is low. For this reason, there must be an assessment of

consumer attitude and perception about the product, thus whether Ghanaians will be willing to

accept APWL.

1.1 Objective of the study

The main objective of the study is to access the marketing potential of African Palm Weevil Larvae

(APWL) in the Kumasi Metropolis.

1.2 Specific objectives

1. To assess consumer’s willingness to pay (WTP) for palm weevil larvae.

2. To identify the factors which influence consumer’s willingness to pay for palm weevil

larvae.

3. To estimate market potential (size) for palm weevil larvae in Kumasi.

3
 CHAPTER TWO

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Consumer behaviour, attitude and perception on food products

Literature provides several theories on what influences the food choice of an individual. Köster

(2009) suggests that there are perceptual factors (i.e. appearance of product), biological and

physiological factors (i.e. age, tolerances), psychological factors (i.e. memory, personality,

emotion), situational factors (i.e. time and context), socio-cultural factors (i.e. beliefs, habits,

costs), and expectative factors (i.e. packaging, sustainability). Furst et al. (1996) proposes that

food choices are not only conscious decisions, but also reflections that are automatic,

subconscious, and habitual. Rozin (2002) proposes that food choices are universal to all mammals,

including homo-sapiens, but that there are also variations between and within cultures. He suggests

that universal choices are generally programmed or influenced by genetics, while variations are

influenced by personal experiences, which are shaped by culture. Luomala (2007) claims that with

global products readily available to people, there are cognitive, affective, and normative effects of

the country of origin of these products on the individual. Cognitive effects are the beliefs associated

with the geography of the product. For example, knowing that olives are good in Spain will

influence consumer’s decision to buy no other olives than the one from Spain. The affective effects

are feelings and emotions evoked by the place of the products. These may be derived from

historical events, friendships of an individual, memories, etc. Normative effects are personal and

social norms of the individual regarding purchase and use, such as the consumer’s moral

considerations, political, ethical reasons, etc. (Luomala, 2007). Furst et al. (1996) suggests that

human ideals are rooted in and derived from cultural and symbolic factors; they are concepts that

4
are abstract and unique to humans, such as the thought of eating “the right way” or having the

“proper meal” (Furst et al., 1996; Gummeson et al., 1996). Rozin (2005) proposes that most food

choices are based on learning, rather than on biological predispositions. Learning is done through

cultures, and with culture, food assumes a symbolic function (Rozin, 2005). Cuisine is the process

of elaborating raw food in order to make it edible. Cuisine is the step that separates the pre-cultural

human from the cultural one (Lévi-Strauss, 1997; Fischler, 1988; Danesi, 2004). According to

Levi-Strauss’ (1997)’ culinary triangle, food can be placed in a system of three directions, where

there is a contrast between the three angles: raw, cooked, and fermented (Levi-Strauss, 1997). He

suggests that raw is the natural state of food, which represents neutrality. Fermented is a natural

transformation of the raw state. Cooked is a cultural transformation. Cuisines are therefore the

result of the influences of innate inclinations, cultural learnings, and social needs (Rozin, 2002).

Another aspect of culture and human nature that gives meaning to food is the idea of “You are

what you eat” (Nemeroff and Rozin, 1989). It is the idea that implies that humans become what

they consume, hence, they have the need to eat substances that they have knowledge about and are

comfortable with. It is not clear where or how this notion originated, however, it may have come

from observation (fat makes one fat, carotene makes one orange), or from rational thinking: it

seems rational that one acquires the properties of what one consumes (Nemeroff and Rozin, 1989;

Jones, 2007). Culture therefore provides meaning to the substances that humans consume. As

Fischler (1988) noted, there are two dimensions in the relationship between humans and food: in

terms of biology, food provides nutrients, and in terms of culture, food provides meaning and

identity.

5
2.1.1 Consumer willingness to pay for insects products

Willingness- to- pay is the maximum amount of money a consumer is willing to pay for a product

of choice. Several studies have investigated various aspects of utilizing insects for food (FAO,

2013), very few studies (Hartmann et al., 2015; Tan et al. 2015; Verbeke, 2015) centred on the

acceptance of insects as food. However, these studies focused mainly on willingness to eat as well

as product liking rather than on the economic aspects, i.e. consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for

edible insects. Studies conducted by Alemu et al. (2016) discovered that consumers in Kenya are

willing to pay for insect products to compensate low nutritional value in arable crops. They also

tend to pay more for insects that are sold in supermarkets. A lot of consumers in Kenya said they

will be willing to pay more for insect’s products that are recommended by health officials (Alemu

et al., 2016). The WTP for insects as a result of their nutritional value in Kenya is high (Alemu et

al., 2016). Consumers in Kenya would pay more for insect products with very high food safety

control. Most consumers are familiar with insects being traditionally consumed as food in Kenya

and so they will accept and buy insect products irrespective of how they are presented (Alemu et

al., 2016)

2.1.2 Characteristics of insect’s products affecting consumer willingness to

purchase/consume

A few studies have investigated product characteristics that will influence consumer’s willingness

to obtain or avoid various foods. Novel foods are confronted with a low initial consumer

acceptance because of neophobia. Haidt et al. (1997) and Rozin et al. (1997) define disgust as the

revulsion at the prospect of oral incorporation of an offensive object. Martins and Pliner (2005)

found that, neophobia as well as the feeling of disgust are stronger towards animal foods compared

to non-animal foods. Verbeke (2015) identifies neophobia as the most determinant factor when it

6
comes to willingness to eat insects. According to that study, individuals with a unit higher food

neophobia score were 84% less likely to adopt insect food products. He also highlights the need

of communicating how insects are reared and processed in order to decrease rejection and increase

the acceptance of edible insects. While the main factors influencing food choice for known food

products are taste and a predicted positive effect on health, the main reasons not to try novel foods

are the perception of disgust (Martins and Pliner 2005). Therefore it is important that edible insects

are presented in a way that makes them more attractive and interesting in order to lower the

threshold for rejection as a result of disgust.

2.2 Unsustainable nature of the conventional animal products

Worldwide, there are about 2 billion people who have meat-based diets, and 4 billion with a plant-

based diets (Pimentel and Pimentel, 2003). To produce animal-based diets (beef, mutton, chevon,

pork, chicken, etc.), important quantities of non-renewable fossil fuels are required for breeding,

rearing, slaughtering, and transporting the animals (Pimentel and Pimentel, 2003). These chain of

activities also contribute greatly to greenhouse emissions, water wastage, and land misuse and

abuse (Pimentel and Pimentel, 2003). Therefore, these diets are unsustainable in the long term. In

addition, the 4 billion people living on a plant-based diet, do so not for cultural reasons, but because

of the inability to breed and rear livestock due to water shortages, land unavailability, and lack of

energy resources in those areas (Pimentel and Pimentel, 2003). These food-related environmental

changes coupled with non-food related ones, are increasingly becoming a reality and are dictating

the need to find a new protein source as an alternative to meat (Verkerk et al., 2007).

The quality of the proteins depends on their digestibility and their amino-acid composition (De

Guevara et al., 1995). Ramos-Elorduy et al. (1997) and Moreno et al. (1997) have concluded that

insects can contain between 46% and 96% of amino-acids, making their content adequate to fulfil

7
the nutritional requirements of both children and adults. These results demonstrate that insects

represent a high quality protein. Other important elements in human diets are the fat and caloric

content of the consumed product. In a study, Ramos-Elorduy (1997) and Moreno et al. (1997)

concluded that fat content varied from 7 g to 77 g per 100 grams of dry weight, while the caloric

value ranged from 293 kcal to 762 kcal for 100 g of dry weight, depending on the species and the

diet of the insect. Finally, the mineral content of insects varies from 3 g to 8 g per 100 g.

Environmentally, breeding insects is more sustainable than livestock (Coehlo and Early, 2013). To

produce one kilogram of protein, beef produces between 80 kg to 170 kg of CO2, compared to 20

kg of CO2 for one kilogram of mealworm protein. Similarly, for 1kg of protein, it takes between

175 and 275 mega joules of energy for beef, compared to 175 MJ for mealworms. Finally, only 20

m² are needed of land to produce 1 kg of mealworm protein compared to between 145 m² - 260 m²

for the same amount of beef protein (Coehlo and Early, 2013). As a result, insects not only

represent high quality proteins and other nutrients, but also its production reduces environmental

degradation and also reduces the amount of land needed to produce equal amount of protein as

compared to the conventional animal protein sources.

2.3 Insects as alternative source of protein.

The interaction between humans and edible insects dates back to the eighth century BC.

Entomophagy has been identified with various tribes including the Romans and the Greeks back

in the eighth century BC. Hurtado (1951) reported on the consumption of locusts as a vital delicacy

during important occasions and among royals. In an earlier work, Aristotle (384-322 BC) narrated

the use of various edible insects including the cicadas which was a popular delicacy in ancient

Greece. These insects are consumed at various developmental stages; from larval through to the

adult stages. Adding to the stock of literature on the practice of entomophagy, Pliner and Pelchat

8
(1995); a renowned philosopher, mentioned the use of the larva of Longhorn beetle (Cerambyx

cerdo.) as a cherished delicacy among the Romans. The consumption of edible insects is engraved

in various religious literature, beliefs and practices among various faith groups. Religious writings

of Christian and Islamic literature cite the consumption of insects as an acceptable practice.

Evidence from the Holy Bible is visible from the book of Leviticus where specific reference is

made on the consumption of insects such as the beetles and locusts (Leviticus 11: 21, 22). El-

Mallakh (1994) also provided evidence of entomophagy in Islamic belief. He named ants, bees,

lice, locusts and termites as examples of edible insects.

DeFoliart (1995) has established that 1000 insect species have been used as traditional foods by

humans and they still form an important part of the nutritional intake and economy of many

communities. In addition, over the last two decades the importance of insects as a commodity has

been increasingly recognized (Hardouin, 1995; Illgner and Nel, 2000). Entomophagy are attracting

increasing attention and support from international organizations such as the Centre Technique de

Cooperation Rurale et Agricole (CTA) and the Food and Agricultural Organizations (FAO)

(Hardouin, 1995). They provide a good source of proteins (lysine, arginine, glycine, serine etc.),

minerals (iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium etc.), and energy, and they cost less than animal

protein for poor rural communities; their consumption has averted many cases of malnutrition

(Chavunduka, 1975). According to Capinera (2004), modern-day entomophagy can be divided

into two categories. The first category includes the consumption of insects as necessary nutrition,

and the second is the uptake of insects as condiments. In the first category, insects are used as

protein sources in areas that host a malnourished population or experience famine (Capinera,

2004). As an example, Capinera (2004) uses locust outbreaks, which are especially common in

Africa and the Middle East. After such migrations of locusts, edible plants tend to be scarce. Under

9
these circumstances the local people often consume the locusts as their food (Capinera, 2004). In

the latter case, insects are utilized as cuisine in restaurants and street food stalls in big cities

(Capinera, 2004).

Van Huis (2013) compared cricket production to chicken, swine and cattle production. It was

concluded that chicken production was 2 times less efficient, swine was 4 times less efficient and

cattle was 12 times less efficient as compared to cricket production. Durst and Shono (2010)

suggest that certain insect species may be up to 20 times as efficient as cattle (eg; crickets).

Moreover, insects can be raised on organic waste and contribute to fewer greenhouse gas emissions

than pigs and cattle, while yielding both animal feed and human ready food of rich nutritional

content (Rumpold and Schluter, 2013). Given the overall unsustainability of conventional animal-

based foods for both existing and future populations, alternatives must be evaluated to avoid even

greater hunger and ecological predicaments. In this vein, insects are ideal candidates for

augmenting and replacing conventional protein sustenance to more sustainably promote food

security in all regions of the world. Indeed, the merits of insects are numerous. In comparison to

farming vertebrates like chickens, pigs, and cows, insect rearing enjoys higher feed conversion

efficiency, greater fecundity, faster growth rates, and lesser space requirements (Nakagaki and

DeFoliart, 1991).

2.4 Notable edible insects in Ghana

Entomophagy is so widely practiced in Ghana that it can be seen in every indigenous community

of the country (Anankware et al., 2015). It is widely eaten in the various regions of the country.

Different insect species are consumed in different regions ostensibly due to the distributional

disparities of vegetation and insect species. For example, fried termites, Macrotermes bellicosus

10
and dried Shea defoliator, Cirini butyrospermi are common in the markets of the three Northern

regions especially Wa, the Upper West regional capital (Anankware et al., 2013; 2015).

Out of the numerous insects that are found in Ghana, nine were found to be mostly consumed in

Ghana (Anankware et al, 2015). These insects are palm weevil larvae, termites, grasshoppers,

locust, ground cricket, house cricket, field cricket, shea tree caterpillar and scrab beetle larvae

(Anankware et al, 2015). The termite is the most readily available insect whiles the Shea tree

caterpillar is the least available (Anankware et al, 2015). In terms of the most consumed insect,

the palm weevil larva is the most consumed insect followed by termite, ground cricket,

grasshopper, locust, house cricket, Shea tree caterpillar, field cricket and the least consumed being

the scrab beetle larva (Anankware et al., 2013).

11
 Table 1: Major edible insects of Ghana
Order Family Common name Scientific name Local name Stage

consumed

Coleoptera Curculionidae Palm weevil Rhynchophorus Akokono in Twi/Akan Larva &

larva phoenicis Adult

Scarabaeidae Scarab beetle Phyllophaga Chibio nabra in Kasem Larval

larva nebulosa

Lepidoptera Saturniidae Shea tree Cirina Kantuli in Frafra and Dagari Larva

caterpillar butyrospermi

Othoptera Acrididae Locust Locusta Gbamedor In Ewe Adult

migratoria

Pyrgomorphidae Grasshopper Zonocerus Manchogo in Kasem Adult

variegatus

Gryllidae House cricket Acheta Chari in Kasem Adult

domesticus

Gryllidae Field cricket Gryllus similis Paan-ta-kyiiraa in Dagaari Adult

Gryllotalpidae Ground cricket Scapteriscus Tiga chari in Kasem Adult

vicinus

Isoptera Termitidae Termite Macrotermes Kwena in Kasem Adult

bellicosus

Source: Anankware et al. (2015)

2.5 Nutritional benefits of some insects

Insects are a healthy and highly nutritious source of food with high protein, vitamin, fat, minerals

and fibre content (Van Itterbeeck and Van Huis, 2012). The nutritional composition of edible

12
insects is exceedingly variable owing to the wide range of edible insect species (Van Huis et al.,

2013). Within the same group of species, nutritional composition may vary. The variation is

influenced by the metamorphic stage, the diet and the habitat of the insects. Variation due to the

metamorphic stage is more pronounced among insects with complete metamorphosis such as bees,

ants and beetles (Van Huis et al., 2013. The fact that insects form limited diets (5 – 10% of diet in

some African societies), makes information on the nutritional content of edible insects not

exhaustive (Ayieko and Oriaro, 2008). Generally, insects have been found to contain substantial

amounts of nutrients vital for the human body, especially protein and amino acids. A study on 236

edible insect species have identified satisfactory levels of essential macronutrients (protein, fat,

vitamins etc.,) and micronutrients (including iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper, riboflavin,

magnesium) in most of the insects despite some variations (Rumpold and Schlüter, 2013). FAO

(2012) identified as high as 1,272 kcal/ 100 g of energy in a raw green ant (Oecophylla smaragdina

F.) to a low of 89 kcal/100 g of energy in a raw grasshopper (Cyrtacanthacris tatarica L.). Like

the energy content of various insect species, the protein content of insects varies based on certain

factors. Similar to most foods, the process and method of preparation such as boiling, drying or

frying also affect the nutritional content of edible insects The processed state such as dried, roasted

and dry-roasted have been found to affect the protein content of edible insects (Bukkens, 2005).

The protein content of the mopane caterpillar (Gonimbrasia belina) was found to be lower when

dried-roasted (48%) than when simply dried (57%) (Bukkens, 2005).

13
Table 2: Nutritional composition (%) of some edible insects
Food insect Crude Ash Fat Carbohydrates Moisture Fiber Dry

protein matter

Bunaea alcinoe 55.2 7.7 25 3.8 8.3 - 91.7

larvae

Cirina forda 74.35 3.1 14.3 2.36 32.15 6.01 67.85

larvae

Anaphe venata 60.03 3.21 23.22 - 6.61 - 93.39

larvae

Gonibra 38-56.8 6.9 16.4 13 83.1 9.6 -

siabelina

Rhynchophorus 32.71 0.98 4.17 0.88 56.82 8.59 43.18

phoenisi larvae

Rhynchophorus 22.06 5.79 25.3 5.53 61.85 - 38.15

phoenisis adult

weevil

Macrotermes 65.62 4.05 21.35 1.13 31.56 7.85 58.44

natalensis

Source: Amadi et al., 2016

Significant variations were also observed in the termite under raw (20%), fried (32%) and smoked

(37%) (Bukkens, 2005). Xiaoming et al. (2010) also observed varying protein content among 100

insect species. Table 2 gives information on the proximate analysis of some edible insects

14
There have been reported cases of amino acid (tryptophan and lysine) deficiencies in countries

such as Kenya, Angola, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, where maize is a common staple food (Van Huis

et al., 2013). Cereals such as maize mostly have limited lysine, tryptophan and threonine which

can be found in sufficient quantities in some edible insects. The larvae of insects such as the palm

weevil, Saturniidae family of caterpillars and other aquatic insects have been recommended as a

good protein supplement (Bukkens, 2005). These insects contain about 100mg of lysine per 100g

crude protein (Van Huis et al., 2013). Edible insects are a great source of fat including

polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as linoleic and linolenic acids (Roos et al., 2010). These fatty

acids which are a very rich source of energy are essential for healthy development in infants and

children (Roos et al., 2010).

Edible insects such as the witchetty grub (Endoxyla leucomochla) of Australia contain substantial

amount of fat (38% of dry weight) including oleic acid that is an omega-9 mono-unsaturated fatty

acid (Naughton et al., 1986). Micronutrients such as minerals and vitamins play a vital role in the

nutritional value of food. Micronutrient deficiencies can lead to major adverse health consequences

including impairments in growth, physical and mental development, immune function, and

reproductive outcomes which in some cases are irreversible through nutritive interventions (Tacon

et al., 2011). Minerals play vital roles in many biological processes. Zinc deficiency is an

additional public health issue, particularly for children and mothers (Tacon et al., 2011).

15
Table 3: Fatty acid component of some selected insects
Edible insect species Composition of main fatty acids (% of oil

content)

African palm weevil larvae(Rhynchophorus Palmitoleic acid (38%)

phoenisis) Linoleic acid (45%)

Edible grasshopper(Ruspolia differens) Palmitoleic acid (28%0

Linoleic acid (46%)

α-Linolenic acid (16%)

Variegated grasshopper(Zonocerus variegates) Palmitoleic acid (24%)

Linoleic acid (21%)

α-Linolenic acid (15%)

y-Linolenic acid (23%)

Oleic acid (11%)

Termites(Microtermes bellicosus) Palmitic acid (30%)

Oleic acid (48%)

Stearic acid (9%)

Source: Womeni et al., 2010

Zinc deficiencies can impede growth, delay sexual and bone maturation, alopecia, diarrhoea,

impaired appetite, skin lesions and increase vulnerability to infections mediated by defects in the

immune system (Tacon et al., 2011). Generally, insects are good sources of zinc. Beef contains an

average of 12.5 mg of zinc per 100 g of dry weight, whereas the palm weevil larvae (R. phoenicis)

contain 26.5 mg zinc per 100 g dry weight (Bukkens, 2005).

16
Table 4: Minerals and ash content of five selected insect (m g/100 g)
Insect food Calcium Phosphorus Iron Magnesium Ash

Rhynchophorus. 18 114 29 0.26 1.9

Phoenisis

Brachytrupes. 9.21 126.9 0.68 0.13 1.82

Menbranaceus

Anaphe venata 8.57 100.5 2.01 1.56 3.2

Cirina forda 8.24 111 1.79 1.87 1.5

Macrotermes. 54.1 685 30.8 131.8 2.7

Bellicosus

Source: Alamu et al., 2013

2.6 Nutritional benefits of palm weevil larvae (Rhynchophorus phoenicis)

Many studies on the biochemistry of palm weevil grubs have indicated that this insect is extremely

rich in essential food nutrients. From studies conducted by Womeni et al. (2012), the nutrient

content of these grubs is quite interesting as shown on table 6. The moisture content of the larvae

is about 40-70% (Ekpo and Onigbinde, 2005). Such high moisture content implies that most of the

essential nutrients in the larva will be in solution and in forms that are easily available to the body

when the larva is consumed as food (Ekpo and Onigbinde, 2005). According to Elemo et al. (2011),

the lipid content of palm weevil larvae ranges between 25.30% and 66.61%. This fat/oil in palm

weevil larvae is different from other animal oils/fat, it is liquid at room temperature, probably due

to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and linoleic acid (Elemo et al., 2011).

17
Table 5: Amino acid profile of Rhynchophorus phoenisis larvae (mg/100g protein)
Amino Acids Composition(mg/100g)

Lysine 3.99

Histidine 3.44

Arginine 5.06

Aspartic acid 7.02

Threonine 3.10

Serine 3.27

Glutamic acid 12.91

Poline 2.11

Glycine 2.95

Alanine 3.05

Cysteine 2.20

Valine 2.80

Methionine 2.05

Isoleucine 3.45

Leucine 6.22

Tyrosine 2.02

Phenylalanine 4.13

Tryptophan 2.51

Source: Ekpo et al. (2010)

The ten essential amino acids are present in varying amounts while the major fatty acids are

palmitic, oleic and linoleic which is highly unsaturated (Ogbuagu et al., 2011). For laboratory-

reared R. Phoenisis the ten essential amino acids are not only present in varying amounts but in

18
much more lower quantities than those in the wild (Ogbuagu et al., 2011). It seemed therefore that

different species of Rhynchophorus have different quantities of amino acids (Ogbuagu et al.,

2011).

Table 6: Proximate composition of Rhynchophorus phoenisis larvae (%dry weight)

Nutrient Dry weight (%)

Moisture -

Lipid 66.61

Protein 22.06

Carbohydrate 5.53

Ash 5.79

Source: Ekpo et al., 2010

19
 CHAPTER THREE

3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

The chapter discusses the research design and provides justification for the choice of the survey

research strategy. It also describes the population and sample considered as well as the sampling

procedures employed in the study. The sources of data, the data collection procedures and the type

of research instrument used are also discussed. This chapter ends with a description of the method

of data analysis adopted for the study.

3.2 Study area

The study was conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis. Kumasi Metropolis is centrally located in the

Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is a fast growing Metropolis with an estimated population of more

than two million people and an annual growth rate of about 5.4%. (K.M.A, 2017). The Kumasi

Metropolis has an approximate land area of 254 square kilometres and is located between latitudes

6°35″ and 6°4″N and longitudes 1°30″ and 1°35″ E. It shares boundaries with the Kwabre District

to the north, Atwima Kwanwoma and Atwima Nwabiagya District to the west, Ejisu-Juaben

Municipal to the east and Bosomtwe District to the south. This total land area as mentioned above

has 15,920 ha being Arable land, 11,930 ha under cultivation but about 74.9 % of the arable land

is available. The vegetation of the Metropolis falls within the moist semi-deciduous section of the

South-East Ecological Zone. The Kumasi Metropolis falls within the sub-equitorial type of climate

and is characterised by average temperatures ranging from 21.5 °C to 30.7 °C. Average annual

rainfall is 625 mm. The rainfall pattern is generally good and evenly distributed. The average

humidity is about 84.16 % at 09.00 GMT and 60 % at 15.00 GMT (MOFA, 2016)

20
Source: Amponsah et al., (2016)
Figure 1: Map of the Kumasi Metropolis
3.3 Survey design

This section considers the population from which the sample was taken, sampling procedure,

survey design, and questionnaire design employed in the data collection. In addition, data analysis

is also discussed.

21
3.3.1 Data collection

The data used in this study was obtained through a household and market survey conducted in

Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana which lasted for six weeks. A multistage sampling technique was

employed for the data collection part of the study. This was used to ensure fair representation of

the various consumer groups within the metropolis.

3.3.2 Research population

A population is the full set of cases from which a sample is taken (Welman et al., 2005). The

population on which this research was conducted consisted of individuals 15 years and above in

the Kumasi Metropolis. The population is 1,617,582 individuals.

3.3.3 Sample size calculation

𝑁
Adopted formula: n = 1+𝑁(𝐸2 )

Where; n = sampling size, N = Total population, 1 = constant, E = margin of error Source: Slovin,

1960.

𝑁
Sample size: n = 1+𝑁(𝐸2 )

N = 1,617,582 E = 0.05

1,617582
= 400 Respondents
1+1,617582(0.052 )

3.3.4 Sampling method

Kumasi Metropolis has ten sub-metros which are Oforikrom, Asokwa, kwadaso, Manhyia, Suame,

Tafo, Subin, Nhyieso, Asawasi and Bantama. Five out of these ten sub-metros were randomly

22
selected for this study, the selected sub metros were Suame, Nhyieso, Oforikrom, kwadaso and

Tafo. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered to all the five Sub-Metro.

3.3.5 Source of data

The study relied on two main sources of data. These were primary and secondary sources, primary

data were collected through structured questionnaires which were administered by the researcher.

The secondary source of data were gathered from both published and unpublished articles from

books, and the internet

3.3.6 Questionnaire design

The questionnaire comprised of two sections; the first section included questions on consumer’s

socio-economic characteristics such as age, income, gender, household size, marital status and

educational background. The second section included questions on consumer knowledge of

African palm weevil larvae, consumer attitude and perception of African palm weevil larvae and

consumer’s willingness- to- pay (WTP) for the product (larvae). The structured questionnaires

consisted of both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The open-ended questions gave the

respondents the chance to express their views about palm weevil larvae. The closed-ended

questions on the other hand gave the respondents pre-coded responses in which the respondents

selected the option which was most representative of their individual cases.

3.4 Market Potential Estimation

The estimation of market potential for a product is very necessary in evaluating its viability. It

also gives an estimate of the maximum sales potential for a given market (Wolfe, 2006). When the

market potential is calculated, it would be possible to appreciate how large or small the market for

a product is. Whether or not it will be able to sustain the proposed production (Wolfe, 2006).

23
Calculating the market potential for a new product requires specific variables such as, the number

of potential buyers, an average selling price, purchasing rate or frequency of purchase and finally

the average purchase quantity (Wolfe, 2006). Once these variables are obtained, the market

potential was derived as:

MP =N ×P ×Q× A

Where: MP = Market potential, N = Number of possible buyers, P = Average selling price or

average willingness to pay, Q= Frequency of purchase, A = Average purchase quantity.

3.5 Data analysis

The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel version 2013 and Statistical Package for Social

Sciences (SPSS) version 20.

24
 CHAPTER FOUR

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction

The chapter is made up of two sections. Section one is made up of the descriptive part of the results

based on the survey data. The descriptive part cover socio demographic characteristics, the

knowledge of consumers on the larvae and their sources of information, consumer perception on

the larvae, and consumer’s willingness to pay (WTP) for African palm weevil larvae (APWL)

products. Section two, discusses results on consumer WTP. The estimation of market potential for

palm weevil larvae was also examined in this section.

4.1.1 Demographic characteristics

The socio-demographic characteristics of the sampled respondents are shown in table 7.

From the 400 respondents sampled, 58% of them were females with only 42% being males, the

high female percentage is close to the findings of IDS and GSS, 2016 who had in their survey out

of 4,995 respondents surveyed, 59.8% of the respondents being females. They attributed the higher

female percentage to the fact that men are much more often away from the household than women.

The average age of the sampled respondents was 39.75years and is within the range of 15years

and 70years. This average is slightly higher than the average obtained by (IDS and GSS, 2016)

which was 35.

25
Table 7: Socio demographic characteristics of respondents
Variables Frequency Percentages (%)
Gender of
respondents
Male 167 42
Female 233 58
Religion
Christianity 248 62
Muslim 145 36
Traditionalist 7 2
Educational
background
Illiterate 38 10
Primary 24 6
JHS 101 25
SHS 85 21
Tertiary 152 38
Marital status
Single 89 22.3
Married 284 71.0
Separated 10 2.5
Divorced 6 1.5
Widowed 11 2.8

Occupation
Formally employed 153 38
Self employed 220 55
Unemployed 17 4
Students 10 3

Variables Mean Minimum Maximum Standard

Deviation
Age 39.75 15 70 10.7
Family size
4.5 2.6
Income
GH¢2,227.96 1,371.9

26
Ten percent (10%) of the respondents were illiterate, 6% of them had Primary School education,

25% had Junior High school education, 21% had Senior High School education and finally, 38%

of the respondents had tertiary education. Tertiary Education having the highest percentage

contradicts the results of (IDS and GSS 2016) who rather had Junior High School scoring the

highest percentage (37.7%) out of the 4,964 respondents and Tertiary Education scoring the lowest

(12.4%) out of 4,964 respondents. The average household size was 4.4, and this compares

favourably with the national average of 4.2 members per household (GSS, 2016). The average

household income per month of the respondents was GH¢2,227.96 as shown in table 7.

4.1.2 Consumer Knowledge on African Palm Weevil Larvae Products and

Sources of Information

No ( 20.5%)

Yes ( 79.5%)

Figure 2: Consumer Knowledge on African Palm Weevil Larvae Products.

As shown in figure (2), about 80% of the respondents indicated some awareness of APWL. This

high percentage may mean that there is a high potential buyers of APWL, because according to

the findings of Morven and Warna, (2008), product knowledge plays a significant role in aiding

purchase decisions.

27
 Saw some at Aspire food group KNUST 0.3%

From news papers 1.9%

By internet surfing 0.3%

On TV 12.1%

By a friend/family 42.0%

A delicacy in my village 43.4%

Figure 3: Source of information about African Palm Weevil Larvae.

Figure 3 gives results on where respondents sourced their information about APWL. A majority

of them indicated that they became aware of the larvae through their family members/friends

(42%), newspapers (1.9%), television (12.1%), Internet surfing (0.3%). Others indicated that they

saw some at the Aspire food group KNUST (0.3%), moreover some said it was a delicacy in their

village (44%). Ashanti Region is one of the forest zones in Ghana and so it is not surprising to find

a lot of palm plantation in villages around Kumasi. Respondents who have lived in these villages

would have had exposure to the consumption of APWL. This may be the reason why the majority

of the respondents indicated that it is a delicacy in their villages. Friends and relatives also had a

high percentage and this could be attributed to how close the social structure in Ghanaian

Communities are.

28
 Can be used to produce other products 6.7%

Food for the future 10.6%

Contains nutrients that are good for the body 15.0%

Something eadible and Very delicious 67.7%

Figure 4: Information given to consumers

One hundred and eighty (180) out of the 400 respondents indicated that they had received some

information about APWL. 67.7% out of this number revealed that the information they received

was that APWL is edible and very delicious. This information received by the respondents may

have a positive effect on their acceptance of APWL because according to Rozen and Haidt (2013),

food products that taste good is likely to be accepted by consumers. Fifteen percent (15%) of them

were informed that APWL contain nutrients that are good for the body, 10.6% of them were also

told that APW grubs are one of the future foods for the world and 6.7% of the respondent said they

were told that APWL can be used to produce other products as shown in figure 4.

29
 No (33%)

Yes (67%)

Figure 5: Consumer’s reactions to the information given

Out of the total respondents (162) that received the information about the larvae, 67% of them

indicated that they like what they were told, the remaining 33% disliked the information that was

given to them about the APWL (figure 5). The fact that majority of the respondents liked the

information given them about APWL may have a positive effect on their acceptance of APWL.

This is so because according to (Cardello and Sawyer, 1992), consumer acceptance of a product

increases when the consumer is informed that the said product is being rated pleasant by other

consumers.

30
 I'm afraid of it 13.2%

Waiting for its process products 11.4%

It is no meat to me 5.3%

Couldn't find some 44.7%

Started consuming it 25.4%

Figure 6: Respondents reactions after receiving the information

Out of the 114 respondents that like the information given them, 25.4% of this number have started

consuming the larvae, 11.4% of them indicated that they were waiting for products that will be

produced from the larvae, 44.7% also indicated that they couldn’t find the larvae anywhere in the

metropolis. According to the finding of (Liberman and Chaiken 1996; Petty et al., 1983; Sengupta

and Fitzsimmons 2004; Steinhart and Mazursky 2010), lack of availability of a product resulted in

lower consumer involvement with product and, consequently, a lowered intention to buy the

product. Making inference from this it can be concluded that potential consumers may lose interest

in APWL. Nevertheless about 5.3% and 13.2% said it is no meat to them and that they are afraid

of the larvae respectively as shown in Figure 6.

31
 Not available Afraid of it (3.7%)
(3.7%)

I can't imagine
myself eating that
worm (92.6%)

Figure 7: Reasons why respondent disliked the information given them.

Respondents that dislike the information given them, disliked it based on the following reasons;

3.7% were afraid of APWL, 3.7% indicated that they couldn’t find the larvae any and 92.6% said

they can’t imagine themselves eating APWL. This will mean that this section of the respondents

may not show interest in APWL, because according to Pliner and Pelchat, (1991) disgust of a food

product motivate consumer rejection of the said product, especially with novel foods.

4.1.3 Discussion of the consumption pattern of consumers of African Palm

Weevil Larvae.

Table 8 considered respondent’s consumption behaviour on APWL. 45% out of the 400

respondents indicated that they have consumed APWL before and the remaining 55% stated

otherwise. All the respondents (181) that indicated that they had consumed APWL revealed that

APWL is a very delicious grub.

32
Table 8: Consumption pattern of respondents on African Palm Weevil Larvae.
Variables Frequency Percentages (%)

Ever consume APWL

Yes 181 45

No 219 55

If yes, how does it Taste

Delicious 181 100

Not delicious 0 0

Indifferent 0 0

If no, reason for dislike

of the larvae Not available 32 25

Not seen it before 16 13

The nature of the larvae 80 62

Any religious belief

Yes 0 0

No 400 100

Recent consumption

1-4 weeks ago 1 1

2-6 months ago 16 9

7-11 months ago 12 7

1-5 years ago 29 16

6-10 years ago 65 36

The past 11years and above 57 32

33
The 219 that never consumed the larvae gave the following as reasons for never consuming APWL.

25% of them complained that APWL is not available in the metropolis and even if they wanted to

consume some, they wouldn’t have had it anywhere. 13% revealed that they have never seen it

before. Sixty two percent (62%) indicated that the worm like nature of the larvae puts them off as

far as consuming the larvae was concerned. This finding is in line with the findings of Rozen

(2014) where he asked an open ended question about why respondents will reject insects as food

and the majority of the respondents indicated that the disgusting nature of insects will make them

reject insect as food as shown on table 8.

A question was asked about whether there were religious beliefs that could influence their decision

to either consume or not to consume APWL. All the 400 (100%) respondents that answered the

question indicated that they had no such strong beliefs. According to the findings of Essoo and

Dibb (2004), Religion is a key element which has a good influence on people’s attitudes and, in

turn, impacts on consumer’s choices in purchase. APWL not having such beliefs may indicate that

there is a high potential consumer base for the larvae.

4.1.4 Discussion on consumer preference of African Palm Weevil Larvae over

other animal products.

In measuring the preferences of consumers, it was realized that 13.9% out of 180 respondents

highly prefer APWL over other animal products, 41.7% of the respondents indicated that they

prefer APWL over other animal products 42.9% of the respondents stated that they moderately

prefer APWL over other animal products. However 1.7% of the respondents indicated that they do

not prefer APWL over other animal products as is shown in figure 8.

34
 Not preferred
(1.7%) Highly preferred
(13.9%)

Moderately
preferred (42.9%)
Preferred (41.7%)

Figure 8: Consumer preference of African Palm Weevil Larvae over other

products.

4.1.5 Responses on consumer knowledge of nutritional benefits and health

implications of African Palm Weevil Larvae and source of information.

Respondents were tasked to state three (3) nutritive benefits that can be derived from APWL that

they have knowledge about. 57.1% out of 70 respondents who indicated awareness of the nutritive

benefits stated that minerals, proteins and fat are some of the nutrients that can be found in APWL,

15.7% indicated that APWL contains protein, iron, and fat, 11.4% also indicated that APWL

contain iron, calcium and protein. 11.4% also indicated that palm weevil larvae contains iron,

calcium and fat, 4.3% of the respondents stated that APWL contains protein, fat and calcium.

Comparing this to the proximate analysis conducted by (Ekpo et al., 2010; Elemo et al, 2011) as

shown in tables 6 and 9 in the literature review of this study, we can conclude that all the nutrients

mentioned by the respondents are present in APWL as shown on table 9 .

35
Of all the respondents that indicated their awareness of the nutritive benefits of APWL, 61% of

them sourced their information from television stations, 29% by the internet, 9% from newspapers

and 1% from family/friends. The recent proliferation of TV stations and showing of health

programs might be the reason why a high percentage of the respondents sourced their information

from TV. A study conducted by Tan et al. (2015) revealed that most of the Dutch receive

information about insects via TV stations. Internet surfing also having a high percentage may be

attributed to the fact that the whole world is now connected because of internet, and so there are a

lot of information that can be assessed on internet as shown on table 9.

Forty six (46) respondents indicated some awareness of the health implications of APWL, out of

this number, 75% revealed that APWL contains nutrients that are good for the body, 25% also

indicated that APWL was good for anaemic patients because the larvae contained iron. It is likely

that these few respondents may accept the consumption of APWL because according to the results

of Rozen and Haidt, (2013), food that are good for the body are likely to be accepted by consumers

as shown on table 9.

36
Table 9: Consumer knowledge on nutritional benefits and health implications and
the source of information of African Palm Weevil.
Variables Frequency Percentages

Nutrient benefits

Protein, iron, fat 11 15.7

Minerals, protein, fat 40 57.1

Protein, fat, calcium 3 4.3

Iron, calcium, protein 8 11.4

Iron, calcium, fat 8 11.4

Source of information

about the benefits On TV 42 61

From newspapers 6 9

By internet surfing 29 29

By family and friends 1 1

Health implications

Good for anaemic patients 42 75

Good for the body 14 25

4.1.6 Response on consumer purchase characteristics

To be able to measure consumer choices, consumers were asked to indicate the form in which they

want APWL to be marketed, 30% of the respondents wanted it to be sold in its fresh state, 22%

wanted it to be processed into other products, 17% wanted it to be sold in its frozen form, with

16% and 15% of the respondents wanting it to be sold in its roasted and fried form respectively.

37
 40% 30%
22%
30% 17% 16% 15%
20%
10%
0%
Processed In its fresh In its frozen In its roasted In its fried
into other state form form form
products

Figure 9: The form in which consumers will be willing to purchase African Palm
Weevil Larvae.

To improve access to APWL products, questions were asked about where respondents would like

to purchase their APWL products. Most of the sampled respondents 77.6% out of 219 prefer to

purchase their APWL products from market retailers. This is in line with the findings of Meng et

al. (2014), who discovered that the traditional retail marketing dominate the food retail system in

Ghana.

The survey also indicated that 12.8% of the respondents will prefer home delivery of the product,

6.8% also indicated that they will purchase from street hawkers with 2.3% and 0.5% purchasing

from farm gate and supermarket respectively.

38
 77.6%

80.0%

60.0%

40.0%
12.8%
20.0% 6.8%
2.3% 0.5%
0.0%
Farm gate Market retailers Street hawkers Super market Home delivery

Figure 10: Places where consumer will be willing to purchase African Palm
Weevil Larvae.

4.2 Discussion of empirical result

In this section, consumer willingness to pay with consumer’s demographic characteristics and the

Estimation of market potential are presented.

4.2.1 Age of respondents and their knowledge about African Palm Weevil

Larvae.

Comparing the consumer age distribution to consumer knowledge of APWL, it was realized that

the majority 122 out of the 310 respondents who affirmed to having knowledge of APWL were

within the age group of 37-47 years. The second majority 91 out of 310 were within age group of

26-36years and the third being within age bracket of 48-58years with 18, 9 and 1 being in the age

brackets of 15-25, 59-69 and 70 plus years respectively. African Palm weevil larvae (APWL) is a

known meat consumed mostly in the villages. Younger folks that are born in cities may not get

exposure to the larvae, that may be the reason why only a small number of this age group knows

about the larvae. Nevertheless, age groups of 59-69 years and 70 plus years also had small number

39
of respondents knowing the larvae. It may be attributed to the fact that the survey captured only a

few of individuals within this age group as respondents.

Table 10: Age distribution and consumer knowledge of African Palm Weevil
Larvae.
Knowledge about larvae Total
Yes No Frequency
Age 15-25years 18 18 36
26-36years 91 27 118
37-47years 122 28 150
48-58years 77 8 85
59-69years 9 1 10
70years and above 1 0 1
Total 318 82 400

4.2.2 Age distribution and consumption pattern of African Palm Weevil

Larvae.

Out of the 181 respondents that had consumed APWL, 69 of them were in the age group of 37-47

years, this is in line with the findings of Megido et al., (2014) who also had the age range of 36 and

above representing the majority that had consumed insect and insect products. 49 respondents were

in the age group of 48-58years, 45 of them were also within the age category of 26-36 years, with

12, 5 and 1 being within the age categories of 15-25years 59-69 years and over 79 years

respectively.

40
Table 11: Age of respondents and consumption of the larvae
Consumption of the larvae Total
Yes No Frequency
Age 15-25years 12 24 36
26-36years 45 73 118
37-47years 69 81 150
48-58years 49 36 85
59-69years 5 5 10
70years and above 1 0 1
Total 181 219 400

4.2.3 Gender of respondent and their consumption pattern of African Palm

Weevil Larvae

From the 167 males that were sampled, 95 of them indicated that they had consumed APWL, with

72 indicating otherwise. From the 400 respondents, 233 were females, out of this number, only 82

indicated that they have never consumed APWL, but a majority 147 indicated otherwise. This

finding is in line with the findings of (Hartmann et al., 2015;Ruby et al.,2015; Verbeke, 2015;

Verneau et al., 2016) who revealed that a majority of men have tried insect and are willing to

accept insect products as compared to the women.

Table 12: Mapping gender with consumption of larvae

Consumption of the larvae Total
Yes No Frequency
Gender Male 95 72 167
Female 86 147 233
Total 181 219 400

41
4.2.4 Discussion on family size and quantity purchased

The findings of Meng et al. (2014) stated that large household size will demand a large quantity

of food products. The survey’s results was in line with this deduction in that as the individual

members of the family increased the average quantity of APWL the family was willing to purchase

also increased, with family size of 11-15 individuals having the highest average quantity

willingness to purchase and family size of 1-5 individuals having the lowest average quantity

willingness to purchase as shown in table 14.

Table 13: Family size and quantities they will be willing to purchase
Average Quantity
to purchase(kg)
.
Family size 1-5individuals 0.21
6-10individuals 0.25
11-15individuals 0.26

4.2.5 Estimation of market size

The total market size for APWL was estimated at about GH¢5,699.2 as shown in table 15. The market

potential was highest from low income class with GH¢2,656.7 and it was lowest from high income

class with GH¢1,011.05 as shown in table 15. High income class recording the lowest estimate could be

attributed to the fat that most rich folks will consider APWL as poor man's meat and so may not

show any interest in it

42
Table 14: Empirical estimation of market potential of African Palm Weevil Larvae
(per month)
Income category Average Frequency Potential Mean Estimated

quantity (kg) of purchase buyers of WTP market potential

WTPS per month product (GH¢) (GH¢)

High income 0.28 5.6 52 12.4 1,011.05

class (GH₵3266

and above)

0.19 13.4 79 10.1 2,031.45

Middle income

class (GH₵1265-

GH₵3265)

Low income 0.20 13.6 88 11.1 2,656.7

class(GH₵264-

GH₵1264)

Total 5,699.2

43
 CHAPTER FIVE

5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATION

5.1 Conclusions

Based on the study, it can be concluded that out of an average monthly income of GH¢2,227.96

Consumers will spend an average of GH¢11.4 on an average quantity of 0.22kg of APWL per

purchase. The study also found out that consumers will be willing to buy APWL at least three

times a week. The study also concludes that consumers became aware of APWL products generally

through Friends/family. Consumers generally preferred APWL products to be sold by market

retailers. The results of the study indicate that there is a huge market potential for APWL in Kumasi

Metropolis. The study found out that socio economic factors such as age, gender, and household

size influence consumer’s WTP or purchase APWL products.

5.2 Recommendations

The study was conducted only in the Kumasi Metropolis. Future studies should be replicated for

other metropolis in the country to determine the overall market size for APWL. Future research

should also focus on cost-benefit analysis of APWL farming so that financial viability of APWL

farming in Ghana could be explored.

It is recommended that potential farmers of APWL should consider products that can be made

from the larvae. So that consumers who are afraid of the wriggling movement of the larvae will

not face the challenge of consuming it directly.

44
 REFERENCES

Alamu, O. T., Amao, A. O., Nwokedi, C. I., Oke, O. A., & Lawa, I. O. (2013). Diversity and

nutritional status of edible insects in Nigeria: A review. International Journal of

Biodiversity and Conservation, 5(4), 215-222.

Alemu, M. H., Olsen, S. B., Vedel, S. E., Pambo, K. O., & Owino, V. O. (2016). Consumer

acceptance and willingness to pay for edible insects as food in Kenya: The case of white

winged termites. IFRO Working Paper 2015/10. Department of Food and Resource

Economics (IFRO), University of Copenhagen. http://okonomi. foi.

dk/workingpapers/WPpdf/WP2015/IFRO_WP_2015_10. pdf. Accessed 26 Oct.

Amadi, E. N., Kiin-Kabari, D. B., William-West, D. P., & Pepple, G. E. (2016). Microbiological

Flora and Proximate Composition of the Yam Beetle, Heteroligus meles. Int. J. Curr.

Microbiol. App. Sci, 5(12), 370-375.

Amponsah, O., Vigre, H., Braimah, I., Schou, T. W., & Abaidoo, R. C. (2016). The policy

implications of urban open space commercial vegetable farmers’ willingness and ability to

pay for reclaimed water for irrigation in Kumasi, Ghana. Heliyon, 2(3), e00078.

Anankware, P.J., Obeng-Ofori, D., & Osekre, A.E. (2013). Neglected and underutilized insect

species for nutrition and health. In: International Conference on Neglected and

Underutilized Species for a Food-Secure Africa. Accra, Ghana 27-29.

Anankware, P.J., Fening, K.O., Osekre, E., & Obeng-Ofori, D. (2015). Insects as food and feed:

A review. International Journal of Agricultural Research and Review: ISSN-2360-7971,

3(1): pp 143-151.

45
Ayieko, M.A., & Oriaro, V. (2008). Consumption, indigeneous knowledge and cultural values of

the lakefly species within the Lake Victoria region. African Journal of Environmental

Science and Technology 2(10): 282–286.

Bukkens, S.G.F. (2005). Insects in the human diet: nutritional aspects. In: Ecological implications

of minilivestock; role of rodents, frogs, snails, and insects for sustainable development,

M.G. Paoletti (ed.). New Hampshire, Science Publishers, pp. 545-577.

Capinera, J. (2004). Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer. Second edition.

Cardello, A. V. & Sawyer, F. M. (1992). Effects of disconfirmed consumer expectations on food

acceptability. Journal of sensory studies, 7(4), 253-277.

Cerda, H., Martinez, R., Briceno, N., Pizzoferrato, L., Manzi, P., Ponzetta, M. T. & Paoletti, M.

G. (2001). Palm worm: (Rhynchophorus palmarum) traditional food in Amazonas,

Venezuela—nutritional composition, small scale production and tourist

palatability. Ecology of food and nutrition, 40(1), 13-32.

Chavunduka, D. M. (1975). Insects as a source of protein to the African. Rhodesia Sci. News, 9,

217-220.

Coehlo, S. & Early. S. (2013). "Beef vs. Bugs." Agriculture. Available at http://www.dw.de/beef-

vs-bugs/g-16941415. Accessed in February, 2018.

Danesi, M. (2004). Messages, signs, and meanings: A basic textbook in semiotics and

communication (Vol. 1). Canadian Scholars’ Press.

De Guevara, O. L., Padilla, P., García, L., Pino, J. M., & Ramos-Elorduy, J. (1995). Amino acid

determination in some edible Mexican insects. Amino acids, 9(2), 161-173.

Defoliart, G. R. (1995). Edible insects as mini livestock biodiversity and conservation. Journal of

entomophagy, 4:306-321.

46
Durst, P. B., & Shono, K. (2010). Edible forest insects: exploring new horizons and traditional

practices. Forest insects as food: humans bite back, 1.

Ekpo, K. E., & Onigbinde, A. O. (2005). Nutritional potentials of the larva of Rhynchophorus

phoenicis (F). Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 4(5), 287-290.

Ekpo, K.E., Onigbinde, A.O., & Pakistan, J. N. (2010). Nutrient composition, functional properties

and anti-nutrient content of Rhynchophorus Pheonicis (F) Larva. Annals of Biological

Research, 2010, 1 (1): 178-190. http://www.scholarsresearchlibrary.com/articles/nutrient-

composition-functional-properties-and-antinutrient-content-of-Rhynchophorus-pheonicis-

f-larva.pdf.

Elemo, B. O., Elemo, G. N., Makinde, M. A., & Erukainure, O. L. (2011). Chemical evaluation of

African palm weevil, Rhychophorus phoenicis, larvae as a food source. Journal of Insect

Science, 11(146), 1-6.

El-Mallakh, O.S., & El-Mallakh, R.S. (1994). Insects of the Qur’an (Koran). American

Entomologist 40: 82–84.

Essoo, N., & Dibb, S. (2004). Religious Influences on Shopping Behaviour: An Exploratory Study.

Journal of marketing management, 7(8), 683.

FAO. (2012). Water and poverty, an issue of life and livelihoods. Available at www.fao.org/

nr/water/issues/scarcity.html. Accessed November, 2017.

FAO. (2013). Edible Insects: future prospects for food and feed security. Food and Agriculture

Organization. Available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3253e/i3253e.pdf accessed in

April, 2018.

Fasoranti, J.O., &Ajiboye, D.O. (1993). Some edible insects of Kwara State, Nigeria. American

Entomologist 39 (2): 113–116.

47
Fischler, C. (1988). Food, self and identity. International Social Science Council, 27(2), 275-292.

Furst, T., Connors, M., Bisogni, C. A., Sobal, J., & Falk, L. W. (1996). Food choice: A conceptual

model of the process. Appetite, 26(3), 247-266.

Gahukar, R. T. (2011). Entomophagy and human food security. International Journal of Tropical

Insect Science, 31(3), 129-144.

Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. (2014). Accra, Ghana: GSS, GHS, and ICF Macro.

Available at http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/DHS_Report/Ghana_DHS_2014-

KIR-21_May_2015.pdf. Accessed in December, 2017.

Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). (2016). Ghana living standards survey round 6. Available at

http://www.statsghana.gov.gh. Accessed in April, 2018.

Gummeson, L., Jonsson, I., Conner, M., & Svensson, E. (1996). Assessing factors influencing

food choice among 10–16‐year‐old schoolboys. A pilot study with a stacking box

method. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 9(3), 219-229.

Haidt, J., Rozin, P., McCauley, C., & Imada, S. (1997). Body, psyche, and culture: The relationship

between disgust and morality. Psychology and Developing Societies, 9(1), 107-131.

Hardouin, J. (1995). Minilivestock: from gathering to controlled production. Biodiversity &

Conservation, 4(3), 220-232.

Hartmann, C., Shi, J., Giusto, A., & Siegrist, M. (2015). The psychology of eating insects: A cross-

cultural comparison between Germany and China. Food quality and preference, 44, 148-

156.

Hurtado, E. D. (1951). Insects as Human Food. A Chapter of the Ecology of Man. Journal of

Entomophagy 8(5), 216-218.

48
Illgner, P., & Nel, E. (2000). The Geography of Edible Insects in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A study of

the Mopane Caterpillar. The Geographical Journal, 166(4), 336-351.

Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Ghana Statistical Services (GSS). (2016), Domestic

Violence in Ghana: Incidence, Attitudes, Determinants and Consequences, Brighton:

Ghana Family Life and Health Survey (GFLHS) 2015. IDS.

Jones, M. O. (2007). "Food Choice, Symbolism, and Identity: Bread and Butter Issues for

Folkloristics and Nutrition Studies (American Folklore Society Presidential Address,

October 2005)." Journal of American folklore 120(476): 129-177.

Kenis, M., & Hien, K. (2014). Prospects and constraints for the use of insects as human food and

animal feed in West Africa. Book of Abstracts of Conference on Insects to Fee d The

World, The Netherlands 14-17 May 2014.

KMA. (2017). Available at www.kma.gov.gh/kma/?brief-on-kma&page=5143. Accessed in April,

2018.

Köster, E. (2009). "Diversity in the determinants of food choice: A psychological perspective."

Food Quality and Preference 20(2): 70-82.

Lévi-Strauss, C. (1997). The culinary triangle. Food and culture: A reader, 28-35.

Liberman, A. & Chaiken, S. (1996). The direct effect of personal relevance on attitudes.

Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 269.

Luomala, H. T. (2007). Exploring the role of food origin as a source of meanings for consumers

and as a determinant of consumers' actual food choices. Journal of Business

Research, 60(2), 122-129.

49
Martins, Y., & Pliner, P. (2005). Human food choices: An examination of the factors underlying

acceptance/rejection of novel and familiar animal and nonanimal foods. Appetite, 45(3),

214-224.

Megido, R., Ludovic Sablon, L., Geuens, M., Brostaux, Y., Alabi, T., Blecker, C., Drugmand, D.,

Haubruge, E., & Francis, E. (2014). Edible Insects Acceptance by Belgian Consumers:

Promising Attitude for Entomophagy Development. Journal of Sensory Studies, 29, 14-20.

Meng, T., Florkowski, W. J., Sarpong, D. B., Chinnan, M. S., & Resurreccion, A. V. (2014).

Consumer’s Food Shopping Choice in Ghana: Supermarket or Traditional

Outlets?. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 17(A).

MOFA. (2016). Available at http://mofa.gov.gh/site/?page_id=859. Accessed in April, 2018.

Moreno, J. M., Ramos-Elorduy, J., Prad, E. E., Perez, M. A., Otero, J. L. & Guevara, O. L. (1997).

Nutritional Value of Edible Insects from the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. Journal of Food

Composition and Analysis, Volume 10, Issue 2, Pages 142-157.

Morven, M. G., & Warnaby, G. (2008). Exploring the relationship between consumer knowledge

and purchase behaviour of value‐based labels. International Journal of Consumer

Studies, 32(5), 414-426.

Nakagaki, B.J., & Defoliart, G.R. (1991). Comparison of diets for mass rearing Achata domestica

(Orthootera, Gryllidae) as a novelty food, and comparison of food conversion efficiency

with values report for livestock. Journal of Economic Entomology, 84(3):891-895.

Naughton, J. M., O'Dea, K., & Sinclair, A. J. (1986). Animal foods in traditional Australian

aboriginal diets: polyunsaturated and low in fat. Lipids, 21(11), 684-690.

Nemeroff, C., & Rozin, P. (1989). “You Are What You Eat”: Applying the Demand‐Free

“Impressions” Technique to an Unacknowledged Belief. Ethos, 17(1), 50-69.

50
Ogbuagu, D.H., Njoku, J.D., & Ayoade, A. A. (2011). Trends in macrobenthal biotypes of Imo

River in a Nigerian Delta region. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences

(JBES), 1 (4): 22-28.

Pearson, D. (1970). Chemical Analysis of Foods, 7th edt. London, Churchill Livingstone pp 7-11.

Petty, R. E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Schumann, D. (1983). Central and peripheral routes to advertising

effectiveness: The moderating role of involvement. Journal of Consumer Research, 10,

135–146.

Pimentel, D., & Pimentel, M. (2003). Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the

environment. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 78(3), 660S-663S.

Pliner, P., & Pelchat, M. L. (1991). Neophobia in humans and the special status of foods of animal

origin. Appetite, 16(3), 205-218.

Pliner, P., & Pelchat, M. L. (1995). “Try it. You'll like it”. Effects of information on willingness

to try novel foods. Appetite, 24(2), 153-165.

Ramaswamy, S. B. (2015). Setting the table for a hotter, flatter, more crowded earth: insects on

the menu?. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 1(3), 171-178.

Ramos-Elorduy, J., Moreno, J. M. P., Prado, E. E., Perez, M. A., Otero, J. L., & De Guevara, O.

L. (1997). Nutritional value of edible insects from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Journal of

food composition and analysis, 10(2), 142-157.

Riggi, L., Veronesi, M., Verspoor, R., MacFarlane, C., & Tchibozo, S. (2013). Exploring

entomophagy in Northern Benin-practices, perceptions and possibilities. Benin Bugs

Report.

Roos, N., Nurhasan, M., Thang, B., Skau, J., Wieringa, F., Khov, K., & Chamnan, C. (2010).

WINFOOD Cambodia: Improving child nutrition though improved utilization of local

51
 food. In Poster presentation. Biodiversity and sustainable diets: united against hunger.

Symposium hosted by Bioversity International and FAO, 3rd-5th November.

Rozin, (2014). Biological and cultural evolutionary accounts." Trends in Cognitive Sciences 17(8):

367-368.

Rozin, P. (2002). Human food intake and choice: Biological, psychological and cultural pers

pectives. Food Selection: from genes to culture. Levallois-Perret: Danone Institute, 7-26.

Rozin, P. (2005). The meaning of food in our lives: a cross-cultural perspective on eating and well-

being. Journal of nutrition education and behavior, 37, S107-S112.

Rozin, P., & Haidt, J. (2013). The domains of disgust and their origins: Contrasting biological and

cultural evolutionary accounts. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 17(8), 367-368.

Rozin, P., Markwith, M., & Stoess, C. (1997). Moralization and becoming a vegetarian: The

transformation of preferences into values and the recruitment of disgust. Psychological

Science, 8(2), 67-73.

Ruby, M. B., Rozin, P., & Chan, C. (2015). Determinants of willingness to eat insects in the USA

and India. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 1(3), 215e225.

Rumpold, B. A., & Schlüter, O. K. (2013). Potential and challenges of insects as an innovative

source for food and feed production. Innovative Food Science & Emerging

Technologies, 17, 1-11.

Sengupta, J., & Fitzsimmons, G. J. (2004). The effect of analyzing reasons on the stability of brand

attitudes: A reconciliation of opposing predictors. Journal of Consumer Research, 31, 705–

711.

Slovin. (1960). Sample size calculation. Available at www.statisticshowto.com/how-to-use-

slovins-formula/. Accessed in February, 2018.

52
Steinhart, Y., & Mazursky, D. (2010). Purchase availability and involvement antecedents among

financial products. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 28(2), 113–135.

Tacon, A. G., Hasan, M. R., & Metian, M. (2011). Demand and supply of feed ingredients for

farmed fish and crustaceans: trends and prospects. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture

technical paper, (564), I.

Tan, H. S. G., Fischer, A. R. H., Tinchan, P., Stieger, M., Steenbekkers, L. P. A., & van Trijp, H.

C. M. (2015). Insects as food: Exploring cultural exposure and individual experience as

determinants of acceptance. Food Quality and Preference, 42, 78e89.

Van Huis, A. (2013a). Potential of Insects as Food and Feed in Assuring Food Security. Annual

Review of Entomology, 58, 563-583.

Van Huis, A., Van Itterbeeck, J., Klunder, H., Mertens, E., Halloran, A., Muir, G., & Vantomme,

P. (2013b). Edible insects: future prospects for food and feed security (No. 171). Food and

Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Van Itterbeeck, J., & van Huis, A. (2012). Environmental manipulation for edible insect

procurement: a historical perspective. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 8(1), 3.

Verbeke, W. (2015). Profiling consumers who are ready to adopt insects as a meat substitute in a

Western society. Food Quality and Preference, 39, 147-155.

Verkerk, M. C., Tramper, J., Van Trijp, J. C. M., & Martens, D. E. (2007). Insect cells for human

food. Biotechnology advances, 25(2), 198-202.

Verneau, F., La Barbera, F., Kolle, S., Amato, M., Del Giuduce, T., & Grunert, K. (2016). The

effect of communication and implicit associations on consuming insects: An experiment in

Denmark and Italy. Appetite, 106, 30e36.

53
Welman, J.C., Kruger, S.J., & Mitchell, B. (2005). Research Methodology. (3rd edn.). Cape Town:

Oxford University Press Southern Africa.

WHO, (1973). World Health Organization, Energy and Protein Requirements. WHO medical

report series No. 522, WHO Geneva 1973.

Wolfe, K. (2006). Estimating Market Potential Check-List. Center for Agribusiness and Economic

Development report, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Center Report

06-08 September, 2006. The University of Georgia. Available from

http://www.caed.uga.edu/publications/2006/pdf/CR-06-08.pdf. Accessed in March, 2018.

Womeni, H.M., Linder, M., Tiencheu, B., Mbiapo, F.T., Villeneuve, P., Fanni, J. Xiaoming, C.,

Ying, F., Hong, Z. and Zhiyong, C. (2010). Review of the nuritive value of edible insects.

In P.B. Durst, D.V. Johnson, R.L. Leslie. And K. Shono (eds.). Forest insects as food:

humans bite back, proceedings of a workshop on Asia-Pacific resources and their potential

for development. Bangkok, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 199-300.

Womeni, H. M., Tienche, B., Linder, M., tenyang, N., Mbiapo, F.T., Villeneuve, P., Fanni, J., &

Parmentier, M. (2012). Nutritional value and effect of cooking, drying and storage process

on some functional properties of Rhynchophorus phoenicis. Journal of entomophagy, 26;

230-240.

Xiaoming, C., Ying, F., Hong, Z., & Zhiyong, C. (2010). Review of the nutritive value of edible

insects. Forest insects as food: humans bite back, 85.

54
 APPENDIX

QUESTIONNAIRE
I am an undergraduate student pursuing BSc Agriculture at Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science and Technology, Kumasi. As part of my programme, I am conducting a research on the

topic "Assessing the marketing potentials of Palm weevil larvae (Akokono) in the Kumasi

metropolis" I will be grateful if you could provide me with the following data. The intention is

purely for academic purposes and does not in any way attempt to invade the privacy of individuals

in order to assess them.

INSTRUCTIONS: Please put a tick [ ] in the box next to the answer of your choice or write in

the space provided as the case may be.

SECTION I (PERSONAL INFORMATION)

1. Age of respondent [ ] 15-25years [ ] 26-36years [ ] 37-47year [ ] 48-58years [ ] 59-69years

[ ] 70years and above

2. Gender of respondent [ ] Male [ ] Female

3. Religion [ ] Christianity [ ] Muslim [ ] Traditionalist

4. Educational background [ ] Illiterate [ ] Primary [ ] JHS [ ] SHS [ ] Tertiary

5. Marital status [ ] Single [ ] Married [ ] Separated [ ] Divorced [ ] Widowed

6. Family size [ ] 1-5 individuals [ ] 6-10 individuals [ ] 11-15 individuals [ ] Above 15

individuals

55
 7. Monthly income of respondent [ ] GH¢264- GH¢1264 [ ] GH¢1265-GH¢2265 [ ]

GH¢2266- GH¢3266 [ ] GH¢3267- GH¢4267 [ ] GH¢4268- GH¢5268 [ ] GH¢5269-

GH¢6269 [ ] Above Gh¢6269

8. Occupation ………………………………………………………………………

SECTION II

9. Have you ever heard of palm weevil larvae (Akokono)? [ ] Yes [ ] No

10. How did you get to know of palm weevil larvae (Akokono) [ ] By a friend/ family member

[ ] On TV [ ] On radio [ ] By internet surfing [ ] From newspapers [ ] Others

(specify)…………………………………………………………………….

11. What were you told about it?

...............................…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

12. Did you like what you were told about the larvae (Akokono)? [ ] Yes [ ] No

13. If your answer to question 19 was yes, what reactions or steps did you take concerning the

larvae as far as making it one of your main stream diets is concerned?

..............................………………………..…………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

14. If your answer to question 19 was no, then what was said about it that you didn’t like?

...............................…………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………

15. Have you ever consumed palm weevil larvae (Akokono)? [ ] Yes [ ] No

16. If your answer to question 22 was yes, how did you find it? [ ] Delicious [ ] Not Delicious

[ ] Indifferent

56
 17. If your answer to question 22 was no, then what is it about the larvae that makes you find

it difficult to consume it?

.........................................................................................…………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

18. Do you have any religious belief that may influence you decision to either consume or not

consume this larvae? [ ] Yes [ ] No

19. If your answer to question 25 was yes, what is this belief?

................................................................................................................................................

20. When was your most recent consumption of palm weevil larvae (Akokono)? [ ] 1-4weeks

ago [ ] 2-6 months ago [ ] 7-11months ago [ ] 1-5years ago [ ] 6-10years ago [ ] The past

11years and above

21. Your preference of palm weevil larvae to other animal products? [ ] Highly preferred [ ]

Preferred [ ] Moderately preferred [ ] Not preferred

22. Why will you prefer palm weevil larvae to other animal products? Please write 1 if you

strongly disagree, 2 if you disagree, 3 if you somewhat agree, 4 if you agree and 5 if you

strongly agree in the space next to the reasons stated in the table.

Because Ranking

It is cheaper

It is tastier

It is nutritious

Its source is traceable

57
23. How often will you be willing to consume palm weevil larvae? [ ] Twice a day [ ] Once a

day [ ] Twice a week [ ] Once a week [ ] Twice a month [ ] Once a month [ ] Others

(specify)…………………………………………………………….…………....

24. What nutritional benefits do you think can be derived from palm weevil larvae?

i. ……………………………................………………………………………………...

ii. ………………………………………………………………………………………….

iii. ………………………………………………………………………………………….

25. By what means did you get to know the nutritional benefits that are derived from palm

weevil larvae? [ ] On TV [ ] On Radio [ ] From newspapers [ ] By internet surfing [ ] By a

friend/ family member [ ] Others (specify)

……………………………………………………………………..

26. What health implications do you think palm weevil larvae can have on consumers?

i. Positives………………………...............………………………………………………

……………………………………………….................……………………………....

ii. Negatives……...…………………………………………………………………….......

.........……………………..……………………………………………………………...

27. In your opinion how would you like palm weevil larvae to be marketed? [ ] In its fresh state

[ ] In its frozen form [ ] In its roasted form [ ] In its fried form [ ] Others (specify)

…………….................…………………………………………………………………..

28. Where would you like to purchase your palm weevil larvae? [ ] Farm gate [ ] Market

retailers [ ] Street hawkers [ ] Super market [ ] Home delivery [ ] Others (specify)

……………….................…………………………………………………………………

58
29. What quantity will you be willing to buy at a purchase?

……………….................…………………………………………………………………

30. At what price will you be willing to pay for this quantity (question 36) of palm weevil

larvae? …………………………………………………………………………………….

59
1