RICE PREFERENCES OF FARMERS AND RURAL CONSUMERS

MY 2014 WORLD FOOD PRIZE BORLAUG-RUAN INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

Aparna S. AjjarapuMarket Research Team, Social Sciences Division (SSD)

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Philippines

WORLD FOOD PRIZE

BORLAUG-RUAN INTERNSHIP• Established by Nobel Peace Prize Winner,

Norman Borlaug and philanthropist, John Ruan

• Aims to encourage young people to get involved in issues relating to food insecurity and improving global food systems

• 24 high school students selected across America for an eight-week all expense paid internship experience at research centers across the globe

• Selected from Ames, IA and stationed in the Philippines at IRRI, SSD under the supervision of Dr. Alice Laborte

1. Introduction2. Project objective3. Methods

-Rice preferences of rural consumers-Rice preferences of farmers

4. Results- Rice preferences of rural consumers- Rice preferences of farmers

5. Further Research6. Application7. Cultural Experiences

OUTLINE

• The population of the Philippines is estimated to be at 100 million with the annual growth rate at 2%, one of the highest in the world

• Rice is a staple food in the Philippines; annual rice consumption is 119 kg per person

• IRRI is working to breed higher yielding rice varieties to meet the demands of the increasing population

• An assessment of preferred rice varieties and traits of the different actors in the rice value chain is very important

INTRODUCTION

Appraisal of the rice preferences of farmers and rural consumers in Nueva Ecija province, Philippines

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

STUDY AREANueva Ecija Province

• Top rice growing province in the Philippines

• Population: 2 million

• Rice area: 315 thousand ha

• Average rice yield: 5.3 t/ha (National average: 3.9 t/ha)

METHODS:RICE PREFERENCES OF

RURAL CONSUMERS

METHODS

1. Developed and tested the rice preferences questionnaire.

-Socio-demographic information -Rice consumption -Rice trait rating and ranking task

Includes questions regarding

2. Interviewed 15 consumers from Guimba

Market and 15 consumers from Muñoz Market.

Criteria for selection of respondents:-not a farmer/does not own a farm

3. The interview location was identified with GPS

device.

*Map by Mr. Neale Paguirigan

Location of market interview

5. Measured whiteness, transparency and milling degree of rice samples

using a milling/whiteness meter.

6. Data analysis.

4. Purchased rice samples bought by

respondents. A total of 17 rice samples

were collected from 14 stores from both

markets.

Milling/whiteness meter

Interviewing rice consumers

*Guimba Market

Interviewing rice consumers

*Muñoz market

Meeting National Food Authority staff

METHODS:RICE PREFERENCES OF

FARMERS

METHODS1. Developed individual farmer survey and focus group discussion guide

(FGD).

-Socio-demographic information -Rice seed preference-Rice trait rating/ranking task

Interview/discussion

topics

2. Six farmers (4 females and 2 males) were selected

for the FGD. The farmers were individually

interviewed and the FGD was conducted afterwards.

Criteria for selecting farmers:-Farming for past 5yrs or more- Women actively involved in farming/making decisions- Farmers are not seed growers

3. Data analysis.

Location of FGD

*Map by Mr. Neale Paguirigan

Tampak Village

Interviewing farmers

Conducting focus group discussion

RESULTS:RURAL CONSUMER

PREFERENCES

Table 1. Profile of respondents

Table 2. Rice purchase and consumption habits

Table 3. Rice purchases

Table 4. What characteristics do you like about current rice you buy that should not be changed in the future?

Top three considerations of consumers when buying rice

1. Low price2. Soft texture3. High volume expansion

20 25 30 35 40 45 5038

40

42

44

46

48

50

Guimba MarketMuñoz Market

Price(pesos/kg)

Av

era

ge

Pe

rce

nt

Wh

ite

ne

ss

(%

)

(R² = 0.56)

Graph 1. Whiteness vs. Price

20 30 40 500.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Guimba MarketMuñoz Market

Price (pesos/kg)

Av

era

ge

Pe

rce

nt

Tra

ns

pa

ren

cy

(%

)

Graph 2.

Transparency vs. Price

20 25 30 35 40 45 5080

90

100

110

120

130

140

Guimba MarketMuñoz Market

Price (pesos/kg)

Av

era

ge

Mil

lin

g D

eg

ree

(R² = .57)

Graph 3. Milling Degree vs. Price

• Most important consideration for consumers when buying rice is price

• Softness of cooked grains is the most important rice characteristic to consumers

• Rice price is not correlated with whiteness, milling degree and transparency for Guimba Market

• Rice price is moderately correlated with milling degree and whiteness for Muñoz Market

• Results from this study show a slight increase in whiteness of purchased rice from 40% (Abansi et al, 1992 – data collected in 1987) to 46% (this study)

SUMMARY

RESULTS:RICE PREFERENCES OF

FARMERS

Table 1. Socio-demographic information

Table 2. Top three rice varieties preferred by farmers

*Characteristics of rice varieties as perceived by farmers

Table 3. Characteristics of preferred rice seed varieties

*Data from rice varietal release data base

Table 4. Characteristics of preferred rice varieties

Figure 1.

Rating of stress tolerance and agronomic traits

High yielding

Heavy grains

Sturdy spikelets

Short duration

Disease resistant

Pest resistant

Flood resistant

Drought resistant

Resistant to lodging

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Dry SeasonWet season

Rating

Ag

ron

mic

/Str

es

s T

ole

ran

ce

Tra

its

Rating of Grain Quality TraitsFigure 2.

Rating of grain quality traits

White and translucent

Grains don't easily break

Long and slender grains

Reasonably priced/cheap

High milling recovery

High demand/marketable

Aromatic/smell

Easy to cook

Expands when cooked

Soft

0 1 2 3 4 5

Rating

Gra

in Q

ua

lity

Tra

its

Table 5. Top rice characteristics preferred by farmers

1.High yielding2.High demand and marketable3.High milling recovery4.Heavy grains5.Translucent and white6.Drought resistant during dry

season

Table 6.

SUMMARY

• NSIC Rc 222 is preferred by farmers during both the wet and dry seasons

• Most important consideration of farmers in selecting varieties is high yield

• Preferred varieties have amylose content between 20.5-24

• The rice samples collected from this study will be sent to the grain quality and nutrition lab for analysis

• The results will be matched with the rice preferences of other actors in the rice value chain

FURTHER WORK

• The results from this project will be combined with those of surveys on other rice value chain actors conducted by the Market Research Team.

• Combined analyses will be provided to rice breeders at IRRI so that they can include priority traits into new varieties of rice they are developing.

APPLICATION

• Cebu City Tripo Observed interviews for the rice

preferences of rice retailers and wholesalers/suppliers.

• Tour of Grain Quality Lab• Sorting impurities of rice

samples• Physical

characteristics(color, grain length)

• Measuring rice expansion after cooking

• Measuring amylose content

OTHER EXPERIENCES

Getting a tour of grain quality lab

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

The International Rice Research InstituteThe Social Science Division

Alice LaborteLina Diaz

Lydia DamianLudy Velasco

Neale Paguirigan Claire Custudio

The World Food PrizeLisa Fleming, Director of Global Youth

Programs

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you.

Any Questions?