Abstract:
In Africa, rice has always been a staple food in some countries and the fastest growing food source there. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in terms of cereal production, rice is ranked second after maize and is an important source of income for the rice farmer. The objective of this study was to analyze and understand consumers\' preferences and behaviors towards local and imported rice in the South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, DRC. Data collected on 1565 rice-consuming households in eastern DRC showed that there is a great opportunity for the rice value chain and food policy development, and the promotion of local rice consumption. Consumers focus on local rice because it is cheaper, but it does not always meet their desired needs. Indeed, only urban consumers were more willing to pay for higher-quality rice. The development of the demand for local rice calls for strong investment in improving production, post-harvest practices, and market aspects. It was found that over 90% of rice consumers know about local rice production and over 84% have consumed it. In rural areas, there is typically lower consumption of imported rice. However, as households require more rice, they tend to rely more on imported varieties due to their availability in the market. The most preferred rice attributes were flavor, aroma, purity, swelling capacity, breakage rate, and whiteness. Therefore, rice producers should consider the habits and needs of consumers to improve market demand. In addition, good packaging, labeling, and marketing can also enhance local rice preference and competitiveness in South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces in eastern DRC. The findings of this study indicated that research aimed at improving local rice varieties with regard to yield, disease resistance, and organoleptic qualities could enable the population to consume more locally produced rice, which is often more affordable than imported rice. This could in turn significantly reduce the need for rice imports. These results suggest that research carried out to improve the yield and organoleptic qualities of local rice in this area can allow it to be more competitive on the market and can reduce the importation of rice.
摘要:
在非洲,在一些国家,大米一直是主食,也是增长最快的食物来源。在刚果民主共和国,在谷物生产方面,水稻仅次于玉米,是稻农的重要收入来源。这项研究的目的是分析和了解消费者对南基伍和坦any尼喀省本地和进口大米的偏好和行为,刚果民主共和国。刚果民主共和国东部1565户稻米消费家庭的数据显示,稻米价值链和粮食政策的制定存在巨大机遇,促进当地大米消费。消费者关注当地大米,因为它更便宜,但它并不总是满足他们的需求。的确,只有城市消费者更愿意为高质量的大米买单。当地稻米需求的发展要求大力投资提高产量,收获后的做法,和市场方面。研究发现,超过90%的大米消费者了解当地的大米生产,超过84%的消费者已经消费了大米。在农村地区,进口大米的消费量通常较低。然而,随着家庭需要更多的大米,由于它们在市场上的可用性,它们倾向于更多地依赖进口品种。最喜欢的大米属性是风味,香气,纯度,溶胀能力,破损率,和白色。因此,大米生产者应考虑消费者的习惯和需求,以改善市场需求。此外,包装好,标签,和营销还可以提高南基伍省和刚果民主共和国东部坦any尼喀省的当地稻米偏好和竞争力。这项研究的结果表明,研究旨在改善当地水稻品种的产量,抗病性,感官品质可以使人们消费更多的当地生产的大米,通常比进口大米更实惠。这反过来可以大大减少大米进口的需求。这些结果表明,为提高该地区当地大米的产量和感官品质而进行的研究可以使其在市场上更具竞争力,并可以减少大米的进口。