Date of Graduation

8-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Agricultural Economics (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness

Advisor/Mentor

Alvaro Durand-Morat

Committee Member

Lawton Lanier Nalley

Second Committee Member

Eric J. Wailes

Third Committee Member

Rodolfo M. Nayga, Jr.

Keywords

Best-Worst Scaling, Consumer, Nigeria, Preferences, Rice, Sustainability

Abstract

Improving the sustainability of rice production is important given its position as a global staple and its environmental footprint. The adoption of sustainable practices can generate positive externalities such as lower environmental pollution and improved working conditions for rice industry workers that could be capitalized via the design of consumer-based marketing strategies. The Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) initiative aims at advancing the adoption of sustainable practices in rice production. We assess consumers’ perceptions of the SRP sustainability indicators using the Best-Worst Scaling approach to rank SRP sustainability attributes according to their preference shares and examine the effects of demographic characteristics and rice purchasing habits on these shares. The results show that Nigerian consumers have a strong preference for sustainability indicators associated with food safety and health and safety, and that preferences are robust across households’ demographic and consumption characteristics. Our results can help guide private and public sustainability policy development and investment in Nigeria’s rice economy that are grounded in consumer preferences for such attributes.

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