Fermented plant foods and their importance in food security in northern Ghana

B.Sc. Kingsley Obeng Buaben

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The objective of this diploma thesis was to investigate the contribution of fermented food products to food security in Ghana particularly in Tolibre, Chiana, Paga Zenga and Paga Kaakum communities. With the use of questionaries and preference ranking exercise, a mixed method approach such as individual (face to face) interview method, householdsampling and focus groups was used for collection of qualitative and quantitative data to obtain pertinent information in these study communities. The data were collected fromAugust to September 2015. In total, there were 125 participants in all four communities with a total of twelve fermented plant food products documented with all produced fromcereals and legumes. According to the individual method, the most consumed fermented plant food product was Tuozaafi and the least was Masa across all communities. In PRE,Tuozaafi was also the most consumed FPF, while Koko was the least consumed FPF across all communities. Dawadawa was the only documented wild fermented food product thatwas used for culinary purposes. The storage and processing techniques that was used in preparation of these fermented plant food products were documented accordingly. On a more general note, these fermented plant food products were found to form a vital part of the peoples daily cuisines with correspondingly high rates in frequency of consumption,thus providing a high depency for food availability, assess and stability. Therefore, the significance of fermented plant food products cannot be underestimated as they have long formed a vital part of the daily cuisines of the local people in these communities.

Keywords

Fermentation, foods, preference ranking exercise, fermented plant foods, plants, food security, local communities, poverty.

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 28. 4. 2017

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: doc. Ing. Zbyněk Polesný, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / odbor:
Tropical Agriculture / Tropical Crop Management and Ecology