SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS DETERMINING THE CONSUMPTION OF EDIBLE INSECTS IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN OGBOMOSO, NIGERIA

The study assessed the socio-cultural factors determining the consumption of edible insects in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Total numbers of seventy-six (76) participants were selected for the study. The study specifically describes the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, identifying the distribution of insect consumers and their consumption frequency regarding social factors, cultural factors, identifying the social factors affecting insects‟ consumption, cultural factors determining insect consumption and insect consumption and food security. The result of major findings shows that the majority of the participants were between the age of 40‟s-50‟s years (i.e. 55.3%). Less than half (39.5%) of the participants were male while 60.5% were female. Majority of participants occupation (43.4%) were traders while we have others that farmer (19.7%), driver (15.8%) and civil servant (21.1%). Majority of the participants (88.2%) were already married while the rest (11.8%) were single. All of them was discovered to be Yoruba and the research were done both in rural and urban area. The result revealed that social factor determining the consumption of edible insects were distributed in the three different areas of which include acceptability and 78.9% accepted that they know about edible insects and have eaten them before while 21.1% disagree, availability of which it is classified into rainy season, dry season, both and those with no idea and lastl