Assessment of Donkey Meat (Equus asinus) Consumption among Households in Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State, Nigeria

The donkey is a domestic animal commonly found around homes in Nigeria. Despite its nutritional benefits, household consumption of donkey meat in Nigeria remains low. This study was conducted to determine the household consumption of donkey meat (Equus asinus) in the Delta North Senatorial District, Delta State, Nigeria. Three objectives were established to guide the study and two hypotheses were raised and tested at 0.5 level of significant.  A descriptive survey research design was employed. The population consisted of 1,695,200 households in the Delta North Senatorial District, and a sample size of 400 was obtained using a multistage sampling technique. The questionnaire titled Household Consumption of Donkey Meat Questionnaire (HCDMQ) was used as the data collection instrument. Findings revealed that the level of household consumption of donkey meat in Delta State was high. Barriers to consumption included cultural barriers, negative perceptions or beliefs, poor awareness, religious restrictions, high cost, and low food safety. Strategies suggested to improve donkey meat consumption in the district includes but not limited to providing discounts and sample tastings, utilizing social media and e-commerce platforms to reach wider consumers, educating households on the nutritional benefits of donkey meat, and improving its accessibility. Therefore, this study concludes that although households in the study area frequently consume donkey meat, barriers to its consumption still exist. It is recommended that public education and awareness campaigns be conducted to highlight the nutritional benefits of donkey meat.