Developing a Sustainable Economy in Cameroon

10 - An Analysis of Household Attitudes toward the Purchase of Livestock Products and Fish in Cameroon

10 An Analysis of Household Attitudes toward the Purchase of Livestock Products and Fish in Cameroon Emmanuel N. Tambi Introduction In Africa, market-oriented livestock production is an important focus for smallholder livestock development and has a good potential for contribution to economic development. Realising this potential depends on a steady market for livestock products and an increase in production. The extent to which livestock producers will increase production, however, depends on how they perceive demand for their products. In the Republic of Cameroon, it has been shown that one of the factors limiting intensification of livestock production is inadequate information on market demand for specific livestock products (MINEPIA 1993). For producers to ensure a steady supply of livestock products to the Cameroonian market, a better understanding of household consumption behaviour is needed. This requires that those factors that influence household attitudes toward purchases of the products be identified and their effects quantified. From the estimated effects, household profiles can be constructed as a basis for predicting demand for each product. This study addresses the need for additional information on household demand for meat and fish in Cameroon. Specifically, it uses probit analysis to evaluate the effects of individual and socio-economic factors that influence the attitudes of households toward the purchase of beef, chicken, pork and fish in Cameroon. Implications drawn from the findings should be useful to livestock producers as they attempt to target specific segments of the population and expand their markets. Following this introduction, there is a description of meat and fish consumption patterns in Cameroon. Previous related research on household demand for livestock products is then reviewed. The analytical model is specified along with data requirements. Next, results and discussion are provided, followed by conclusions and implications. 202 Developing a Sustainable Economy in Cameroon Meat and Fish Consumption Patterns Cameroonians consumed a total of 217,000 metric tonnes (MT) of meat in 1998, of which 98 per cent was from domestic production and the remaining 2 per cent was imported. Beef is the most important meat consumed, followed by mutton and goat meat, pork and poultry in that order. Other meats, including offal and game meat, are also important and account for more than one-fifth of total meat consumption (Table 10.1). Total meat consumption increased by 80 per cent (4.4 per cent per year) from 1980 to 1998. The largest absolute increase of more than 40,000 MT was in beef consumption. Poultry meat consumption increased by more than three times while mutton and goat meat consumption more than doubled during the same time period. Meat consumption in Cameroon varies by province. In 1995, for example, households in the Centre and Littoral Provinces consumed 43 per cent of total beef while those in the Adamaoua, North and Far North Provinces accounted for 27 per cent. Households in the West and Northwest Provinces consumed 18 per cent of the total beef while the remaining quantity went to the East and Southwest Provinces (MINEPIA 1996). Table 10.1: Total and Per Capita Consumption of Meat and Fish in Cameroon, 1980–98 Product 1980 1985 1990 1995 1998 % change, 1980–98 Total Consumption (1,000 MT) All Meats 120.7 162.3 183.3 201.4 217.0 80.0 Beef 49.7 69.2 74.6 83.3 89.6 80.3 Poultry 7.9 20.1 18.6 20.9 26.6 236.7 Pork 14.8 16.5 18.0 20.0 19.8 33.8 Mutton & Goat Meat 14.8 15.2 27.0 30.6 31.1 110.1 Other Meats 33.5 41.3 45.1 46.6 49.9 48.9 Fish 104.3 140.0 139.7 139.6 128.6 23.3 Per Capita Consumption (kg) All Meats 14.0 6.3 16.0 15.3 15.2 8.6 Beef 5.7 6.9 6.5 6.3 6.3 10.5 Poultry 0.9 2.0 1.6 1.6 1.9 111.1 Pork 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 -17.6 Mutton & Goat Meat 1.7 1.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 29.4 Other Meats 4.0 4.3 3.9 3.6 3.4 -15.0 Fish 12.1 14.0 12.2 10.6 9.0 -25.6 Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook, 1998 and previous years. While total meat consumption grew more rapidly for each of the different types of meats consumed...