Evaluating a group based intervention for improving meat safety in a Nigerian wet-market

D. Gracea, M. Dipeolub and J. Olawoyec

aInternational Livestock Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya; bUniversity of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; cUniversity of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Background Developing countries have rules and regulations for assuring food safety; yet food-borne disease remains a major cause of sickness and death.

We evaluated a group-based and gender-sensitive intervention to improve food safety among meat processors and retailers (butchers) in Bodija Market, Ibadan.

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For further information see:

Grace et al., 2012, Trop Anim Health Prod DOI 10.1007/s11250-012-0207-0

Grace et al., 2012, Trop Anim Health Prod DOI 10.1007/s11250-012-0208-0

This document is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution –Non commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License Jun 2012

August 2012

In Ibadan, meat is produced, processed and sold under un-hygienic conditions: 98% of meat samples failed to meat international microbiological standards.

Methods An interactive training workshop was held for Butchers Associations’ representatives who were selected to pass on information and training to their group.

Meat hygiene knowledge, attitude and practice was assessed before attending the workshop and afterwards (n=63). It was also assessed for those who did not attend the workshop (n=68) but were intended recipients of training through their Association.

Microbiological quality of meat was assessed before and after the workshop (n=400 samples).

Results Butchers are self-organised into groups. Women have a more important role in self-organised groups than officially-organised groups.

Women have significantly (p=0.03) better meat handling practices than men; groups with more women have significantly better quality meat (p=0.001).

Male butchers eat more muscle meat (steak) and women more offal (intestines etc.) (p=0.004).

Risk assessment identified the critical control points for managing food safety risk.

Group-based interventions were successful at delivering information and innovation for meat safety.

Impact evaluation showed:

• improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice

• a 20% reduction in unacceptable meat samples (p<0.001)

• training butchers cost $9 per butcher and reduced cases of diarrhoea among their customers by 10% or 1,600 episodes resulting in $780 saved in treatment costs.

Conclusion Gender is an important determinant of food safety in the informal and traditional meat markets of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Food safety management based on collective action and capacity strengthening was effective technically and had a high benefit cost. This approach could be more widely used in initiatives aimed at improving food safety.

The group-based intervention comprised: • Stakeholder engagement • Identifying critical points for

reducing risk • Targeting interventions at

critical points • Providing new technologies

such as disinfectants • Training by experts • Followed by peer-to-peer

training • Followed by hand-holding

and support • Branding to identify butchers

trained in hygienic practices.