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ABSTRACT
This study analyzed the fruit waste management information among fruit marketers in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo state. The specific objectives of this study were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of fruit marketers in the study area, identify the fruit wasted, identify the causes of fruit waste, assess the fruit waste management systems practiced, ascertain the information sources of fruit marketers on waste management and identify the constraints to fruit waste information sources in the study area. 10 Seventy-five farmers were sampled using a simple random sampling technique from the study area for the study. Data were obtained with the use of structured questionnaires and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the results, 77.3% of the respondents were female, with an average age of 46 years, 65.3% were married, they had an average household size of four persons. The average marketing experience was 14 years. 65.3% had up to tertiary education and were mostly engaged in fruit marketing (96%), they had no secondary occupation outside marketing, 96% did not have access to credit and 42.7% belonged to a cooperative society. 93.3% worked full time,98.7% had their family as their source of capital, the mean average of monthly income earned an average of N34,000. Results of multiple regression showing significant relationship between selected socioeconomic characteristics of marketers and their waste management information sources showed that only the frequency of interaction with extension agents showed a statistically significant positive influence on access to waste management information sources. It is recommended that a network of extension workers should be established, improved road infrastructures in study area should be made, waste reduction strategies should be put into practice, to reduce the quantity of fruit waste, and alternative uses of waste should be encouraged.
