Abstract:
Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition (BFN) initiative, known widely by its abbreviated
form BFN, embraces a broad vision of increased utilization of global diversity of crop
plants for achieving human well-being. These crops contribute to enrich the diversity of
human food basket, but most of them were largely ignored until recent times. In this
context, a study was undertaken to investigate the potentials and constraints of
utilization of these underutilized crops at the Helebojun outlets that are operated by the
Department of Agriculture. The study was conducted at three Helabojun outlets in
Kandy district: Galaha junction, Gannoruwa and Kandy City Centre. Seventy-seven
consumers were interviewed on the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for five improved food
qualities of BFN crops. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression and the
relationship of WTP for additional food quality improvement with consumer age,
income and gender were studied. It was found that the additional WTP of the
respondents ranged between 5 % -100% for five quality attribute improvements, namely
taste, healthiness and cleanliness, traditional nature, safe packaging and certification.
The customers WTP for the food products that are made out of BFN ranges from LKR
20- 50 per servings for the crop ingredients of finger millet, foxtail millet, horse gram,
moringa, sesbania and gotukola. The customers WTP for traditional foods and certified
foods had significant effect with the consumer income and the there was a positive
correlation. Age also had a significant impact on the WTP for certified foods which is
negatively corelated, implying that the likelihood for WTP for cerlified foods reduce
with the increase of age. This is obvious because of the trend of preferences of youth
towards the certified foods. The WTP for other food quality improvement: for more
tasty and nutritious foods, for more healthy and clean foods, for attractive packaging
had no significant relationship with the income, age and gender. Overall the study
revealed that the Helebojun system could be effectively utilized, to promote BFN crops
and there is a potential for scaling-up.
