What makes the difference between local rice consumers and imported rice consumers in Bénin cities? A descriptive analysis

Rice is an ordinary food consumed almost daily in Benin. While efforts mobilized since the rice crisis of 2007 have improved the quality of local rice, urban populations rarely consume it. This study aims to determine the factors that motivate or limit the consumption of local rice in Cotonou, the largest city in the country. Three hundred and nine households were selected using two sampling methods: 99 local rice consumers, 110 imported rice consumers, and 100 local and imported rice consumers. The data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software, and the concordance test of Kendall was used to ranking motivational and barrier factors. Socio-economic and demographic results indicated that women predominated rice purchasing and preferred to import rice. When men purchased food, they preferred to buy local rice than imported rice. Local rice consumers tended to have higher education and income levels than other consumers. Taste, high nutritional value, sanitary quality, price, support for local farmers and digestibility of local rice were the motivational factors for its purchasing and consumption. Cleanliness of local rice is the primary factor that is hindering the consumption of local rice, followed by its colour, low swelling capacity, price, grain size and availability at all times.