Abstract

Obayelu, A. E, Okoruwa, V. O. and Oni, O. A.

This paper examines whether there are differences in food consumption patterns between the rural and urban
households in the North-central Nigeria using food consumption data obtained from households’ seven days memory
recall. While analytical tools like the descriptive statistics were used, the nature of data on fruits and vegetable with a
lot of zero consumption led to the employment of the double-hurdle model. The results of the descriptive statistics
revealed heterogeneity in consumption and expenditure patterns across households in rural and urban areas. While
the urban residents purchase 37.9% of the food they consume, families in rural areas purchase only 26.6%. The most
commonly consumed foods among urban populations included rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk,
while those in rural areas was substantially different and included yam and cassava flour. Urban households in both
states consumed more rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk with less yam and cassava flour compared to
the rural households. Households’ decision to participate in fruits and vegetable food group from double-hurdle
model was based on their income, location, membership of cooperative group and access to refrigerator. The actual
consumption was based on income and their membership of social group. There is the need to increase households’
income and access to fruits and vegetable preservation facilities to facilitate the consumption of the food items.