àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 ÀàÌÍçÖéäÑÀÏèÀåÌâÁÈÆàÌâÓìÜÃÁÜà ÅÎÎ Öà ÍîÌÀÜà Åî éóíì 1, âäõàì Ü. äîéïéàì 2, äöâíêè Ä. äýìâóê 2 ãöß éìâòõè Ý. ÆßÌéÈÆßâÖê 3 ÍíÈÂèÈØÇçðû ÏèÀæÈòÀàÇâÎèÌÍèÌØàÅçàÂèÌ ÁÜÃÉí âóìüãåøñçáüãñààñºìüàæê, ÆëñÃÖ ÓËèÃÉí âóìüã åøñçáüã ÅÎÎ Öà. ËèÃÌ ÀçÇòÜÌ ñà ÀàÌÅßÙÜÃÏèÀ ãöß Â àóéòüãààìá ÌѺÌÊàÌâÑìñÜ ÍçàÖîÃÝñàÃÀàÇåØòâÎèÌÎíÀÀßÉéãÁÃãÝà åìîèèäîíèìøðîèäéìàèìøðàç. ÉàÓÓàÈÉßÊàÌ ËêñÜíà ÀàÌÜàØàÌ ãöß ÀàÌÀßâÅÈ ãìßìçà : âñìñüéüíåßùüãëàèüàåøòýñàãààçæèòôñàãñþãñç ÂíÌÏïòÙëñÃÉòÜÃÍçÖéäÑÀÏèÀÎßÓàÌ 200 ÀÕàÓ É èì. ÏèÀÓêÎßäØÇÈØðàÇÔñàà âîèìé ÌâÝèÈåØòÓê ÅßÑàÍ àóüîèíóåíóíïìèòàìäñæßìàààì À Âì ÅîÁßÑàÍ ãöß ÀàÌÁßØÇàÇÉí ÁÜÃÝñàà ÀàÇÈê. ÀàÌ ÌÂò àì ÓêÄîÈÎßÅíÃÅëÀÅàÝïÍãÍÍ éëêààìíçöéäñàïèà ÁÜÃÎßÆàÆíÌåÌÉí âóìüã ÞÃÄèÌ, ÉßØðÜÈâÊêÃÀàÌÎßâÓêÌÍèÌÈàÎèÈæÄÉñàà ËêñÀñÞ ÁòÜÃÀèÍÀàÌÍçÖéäÑÀÏèÀ. ÀàÌÅçàØð ÈæÈòÈçàâÌêÌÔïñ 3 Éí âóìüã ãöß 3 ÉßØðàÈâÁÈÉí âóìüã ãöß ÆàÌâÓìÜÃÁÜà ÀçàãÑÃÌßÂÜÌ ÞÃÄèÌ Èò Ç éëêæîñóéí ÔñàÃãÍÍÍèÃâÜêÌ ÄàÀÄçàÌ ÌÑíÌ ÁÜÃÀîñÓâÎ àúàç, äèçâèèâöìüàåçàñàè 300 ÂíÌ ÜèÌÎßÀÜÍÓê ÏïòÏßÖéÈ 100 ÂíÌ, ÏïòÁàÇ 100 ÂíÌ ãöß ÏïòÍçÖé äñà 100 ÂíÌ. ÁçòÓïÌËêñæÈòÓà æèòëçàààì éæäèò ÇÖßÍíÍÊàÌÁçòÓïÌ. ÄàÀÏíÌÁÜÃÀàÌ éæäåàóàèåßøðîíæèò ñà ÏïòÍçÖéäÑÀÏèÀÅñ ÌØÖ ÃØÖàÇƺÏèÀÓà ÄàÀÉßØÖàÈ (68%), ÄçàÌ Ì 30% ÓêÏèÀÅ ÌÂí, 1% ƺÏèÀÄàÀÝòàÌÅèÍÑßÅéÌÂòà, ãöß 1% ƺÄàÀÏïòâÖàßÁàÇ. ÆßÌéÈÏèÀËêñÌçàÓàÁàÇÓê : ÚàÀâÏèÈåØñÇ, ÚàÀâÁìÜ, ÏèÀÍ Ã, ÏèÀÍíñ, ÚàÀãÉÃ, ÏèÀËÞÓ, ÏèÀÅßÖèÈ, ÚàÀâÖèñÌ, ÚàÀÝîñÃ, ÀßÖ à, ÏèÀÀàÈÆÜÓ, ÚàÀÊíñ, Áêà ãöß ÀßÖ àèüà. åìößèïààìîïàïèà ÏïòÆíÓåÆòÄñàÇâÃéÌâÑìñÜƺÏèÀ ÜàËéÈÖß 6.600-8.600 ÀêÍ. ÏèÀÅñ ÌØÖàÇãÓñÌÌçàåÆòÍçÖéäÑÀÅíÈ, ÎîÃãÉñà ãöß ãîýïí âæèñì : âýèèåßöèè, ãàã, Á, Éí ÀçàÌíÈâÑìñÜÉèÈÅéÌåÄåÌâ ÖàƺÏèÀÓê Âì :  àóåíè, âìºüïèà, ÖàÂà, ÁßÙàÈ ãöß Åê. ÏèÀâÎèÌ ÜàØàÌÍçÖéäÑÀÜèÌÈèÍÅÜà ÝÜÃÄàÀâÁ à ( ÜàØàÌâÆ à, Å Ç ãöß ãöã). 1 ÅïÌ ÌÂò àñìèïèà ãöß æóòåøòúàà ØàÈÈÜÀãÀò, ÎßâËÈÖà 2 ÓßØà éëßçàæö ÜàÆêâÜ, ÎßâËÈÒêÖéÍÎéÌ 3 ÅßÊàÍèÌ éëßçàåàèñìèïèà, ÎßâËÈâÇèÇÖßÓèÌ ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 9
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 Vegetable Consumption in an Urban Setting of Lao PDR B. Souvimonh 1, G..E. Potutan 2, R.J. Holmer 2 and W.H. Schnitzler 3 Abstract Vegetables are an issue of concern in many Asian cities including big cities in the Lao PDR, because there is a large gap between the quantity produced and the necessary requirement for good health. To ensure an adequate micronutrient supply, the minimum daily intaker recommended by FAO is 200 grams of vegetables. Vegetables have advantages, among these are good nutritional status as well as improving health and human development. The research aimed at exploring the consumption patterns of people in Vientiane and assessing factors associating with vegetable consumption. The survey was carried out in urban and peri-urban districts of Vientiane City using interviews among 100 vegetable growers, 100 venders, and 100 consumers who were chosen at random systematic sampling system from 3 market premises in 3 districts. Data were encoded and analyzed by means of MINITAB 12.0 software. The research found that almost all consumers avail of vegetable from public market (68%), 30% from their own farm, 1% from supermarket and 1% from peddler. Types of vegetable commonly consumed are bell pepper, eggplant, kangkong, onion, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, tomato, papaya, cabbage, beans, ginger, and cauliflower. At peak production season consumer spent for vegetable about 6600-8600 kip\week. People eat vegetable raw, cooked, and processed as salad, coleslaw, soup and saute. Criteria for making decision before buying vegetable are freshness, texture, price, size, and color. Vegetable is unanimously placed second after rice in daily meal : breakfast, lunch and dinner. 1 Haddokkeo Horticulture Research Center, Lao PDR 2 Xavier University College of Agriculture, Peri-urban Vegetable Production Project (PUVeP), 9000 Cagayan de Oro, Philippines 3 Institute for Vegetable Science, TU Munchen-Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany 10 January - June 2002
àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 Introduction In Asian cities, the minimum daily requirement for vegetable intake is 200 grams per capita (AVRDC 1995), whereas in the Lao PDR daily supply / consumption per head is around 50 grams (MAF, 1999). Compared to Latin American cities (e.g. Cuba), where minimum requirement is much higher, about 300 grams per capita per day, most Asian cities do not meet the minimum requirement ( PUVeP 1998 ). This poses greater challenge to urban agriculture advocates to further strengthen vegetable consumption in the urban areas. The advantages of increased vegetable intake are manifolds. Among these are better nutritional status as well as better health and human development (Richter 1995). This article aims to achieve two objectives. First, to describe the consumption patterns of people in the Vientiane. Second, to assess factors associated with vegetable consumption. Methodology A survey was conducted in the urban and peri-urban districts of Vientiane City among 100 vegetable growers, 100 vendors, and 100 consumers during the period June 20 - July 19, 1998. A list of vegetable farmers was obtained from the Agricultural Statistics Office of Vientiane. From the list, systematic random sampling was employed. Every 3 rd (i.e 6th, 9th, 12th, etc.) name was selected as respondent. The vegetable vendors were sampled from the major markets in Vientiane City. Namely, Thongkankham Market, Thatluang Market, and Sikhay Market. The presidents of the vendors associations were approached for their members names. Vendors who were not members of any association were individually approached. From the list, systematic random sampling was employed. Every 3rd ( i.e., 6th, 9th, 12th, etc.) name was selected as respondent. Consumers were randomly sampled from the different villages of the following districts Sikhotabong, Hatxayfong, and Saysettha. The questionnaire comprised seventeen blocks namely : identification; personal data; household migration and mobility pattern; credit and savings; health status; gender relations; food consumption pattern; quality criteria; farming/gardening practices; fertilizer use; pesticide use; integrated pets management; crop rotation; irrigation; labor inputs; marketing and; household waste disposal. From the completed questionnaire, the data were transferred to the coding sheets. These data were then encoded in the computer with the use of MINITAB 12.0 Software. Descriptive statistics (i.e., frequency, percentage, and mean ) was applied in the data analysis. This article specifically analyzes those that pertain to vegetable consumption. Results Respondents reported that rice ( 99%) and vegetables are frequently consumed in most cases at breakfast, lunch and dinner (Table 1) Usually food\vegetables are obtained from purchasing in cash (99%), share from farm produce ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 11
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 Table 1 : Foods consumed during breakfast, lunch and dinner 12 January - June 2002
àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 (7%), and credit (1%). When asked for their preference where to obtain vegetables 98% mentioned public market, 30% from their own farm, 6% direct from other farmers s farm, 1% from supermarket, and 1% from peddlers ( Table 2). The type of vegetables that are commonly consumed are bell pepper (95%), eggplant (93%), kangkong (80%), onion (72%), cucumber (71%), garlic (68%), lettuce ( 65%), tomato (61%), papaya (51%), cabbage (50%), pechay (49%), beans (40%), ginger (39%), and cauliflower (38%) (Table 3). There are various reasons why respondents eat vegetables. Among the reasons mentioned are vegetables beind tasty (68%), high nutritional value (45%), readily available (37%), affordable (35%), and could help maintain good body shape (20%) ( Table 4). Respondents are quite satisfied with the quality of vegetables they got from different sources. Ninety nine percent (99%) reported that they usually obtained their vegetables fresh from their sources and 55% said these are tarnish-free. The amount spent for vegetable per week varies from type of respondents. Farmers spents about 6,600 kip /week (1 US$ = 4,000 kip as of March 1998), vendors about 8,360 kip\week, and consumers about 9,720 kip/week. In average, the amount they spent per week for vegetable is 8,320 kip. As to how the respondent want to eat vegetables, 56% want it either raw, cooked or processed, 24% want it cooked or processed only, 7% want it cooked only, 6% want it processed only and 3% want it either raw or processed (Table 5) As to the specific methods of preparing vegetables, they want it as salad (63%), as coleslaw (17%), soup (.7%), and saute (.7%). The sources of information in perparing vegetables are own initiative (66 %), mother (12%), friends (11%) neighbors (9%), television (1%), recipe book (.7%), and radio (.3%). There are eight selected vegetables that the peri-urban vegetable porject (P UVeP) has particular interest. Respondents were asked to recall which of these vegetables they consumed during the last the 30 days (from the time the survey was administered) and to estimate the amount (in kilogram) consumed by the family. With regard to consumption, responses are bell pepper (99%), eggplant (98%), tomato (96%), papaya (90%), head cabbage (50%),cauliflower (44%), yam bean (14%) and soybean (8%). In terms of amount eaten, response ranges from 1.6 kg for bell pepper to 7.4 for yam bean. Based on these figures, the estimated consumption of vegetables per capita per day is less then 100 grams. More detailed questions were asked about quality prefernce of selected vegetables. In terms of size, texture, color and maturity, some common responses are apparent. For instance in bell pepper, respondents want it small for size (59%), medium firm for texture (41%), red for color (70%), and ripe for maturity (36%) (Table 6). In obtainning these vegetables, the following are considered freshness (71%), texture (13%), price (8%), size (3%) and color (1%)(Table 7). To determine the quality of vegetables the respondents live to obtain, three different pictures of tomatoes were presented during ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 13
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 Table 2 : Most preferred place in buying vegetables Table 3 : Commonly consumed vegetables by the household in the past 6 months 14 January - June 2002
àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 Table 4 : Reasouns of eating vegetables Table 5 : Usual means of vegetable consumption ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 15
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 Table 6 : Quality preference 16 January - June 2002
àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 Table 6 : Quality preference ( Continued ) ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 17
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 Table 7 : First thibg considered in purchasing vegetable Table 8 : Quality preference Picture 1: Infesed pesticied free vegetables Picture 2: Non- infested vegetables treated with pesticide at the same selling price with Picture 1 Picture 3: Non- infested pesticide free vegetables sold with price 20 percent higher than Picture 1 and Picture 2 18 January - June 2002
àößåàìàßåéàçà ãöß ÎñàæÓò, ÅßÍèÍËê 04 Table 9 : Consumption of vegetable fertilized with human feces the interview. Picture 1 showed sets of tomatoes that were produced free from pesticides and had a slight damage. Picture 2 showed set of tomatoes that were chemically grown and were free from spots (this was labeled with the same price as tomatoes presented in Picture 1). Picture 3 showed an ideal type of tomatoes. These were organically grown and spotfree. However, the price was 20% higher than those sets of tomatoes presented in Picture 1 and Picture 2. The preference of most respondents (56%) is Picture 2 (Table 8). They want cheap tomato, applied with pesticides, and free from spots. It is unlikely for the consumers to consume vegetables that are fertilized with human feces, as 91% mentioned they would never eat vegetables grown this way (Table 9). Discussion It is apparent from the results that people in the urban areas of Vientiane recognize the importance of vegetables. However, despite this favorable attitude to vegetable consumption, actual data show that vegetable intake is indeed very low. Factors that may help explain this result can be both methodological and practical. As regards the methodology, it is possible that the estimated rate of consumption is understated because the survey questionnaire is limited to only eight selected types of vegetables. This means that other vegetables consumed are not reflected in the estimate. However, if there may be some difference in the estimate, it could only be slight because other findings (KURDI 1998) seem to support the survey results. The more practical reason for minimum vegetable intake in the urban setting of Vientaine may be attributed to fsctors such as supply, amount, and quality of vegetables. The supply of vegetables in Vientiane is seasonal (Potutan 1999). There are certain seasons where vegetables are abundant and there are seasons where vegetables are limited To initially address this constraint, the PUVeP is doing experiments ÓèÃÀÜÌ - ÓéÊîÌà 2002 19
The Lao Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, No. 04 on crop improvement (through breeding) to produce crops that can grow year-round in a tropical lowland environment. The amount of vegetable can also be considered as direct determinant to consum- ption. On average, each family in Vientiane spends about 30% of their income on purch- ase of vegetables. This figure indicates that the most affordable food in the city is vegetable However, despite its affordability, consumption of the same is limited because aside from its seasonal supply, income of most family is very low to buy more vegetables. Another consider-ation in looking at the pattern of consumption is the quality of vegetables. Respondents normally want to purchase fresh vegetables with some other considerations such as the texture, size, color, and price. However, there is no indication whether consumers have had actually obtained the vegetable based on their standards. It is recommended that detailed study on this aera may be explored. References Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) 1995. Peri-urban Vegetable Production in HoChi Minh City, Vietnam. AVRDC Publication Number 95-442. Taipei. KURDI and AVRDC. 1998. Peri-Urban Vegetable Production in the Asia Pacific Region for the 21 st Century. Conference held in Bangkok, 28 September to 1 October 1998. Peri-Urban Vegetable Project(PUVeP).1998 Socioeconomic Surveys on Vegetable Production, Consumption and Marketing in three Southeast Asian Cities (unpublished). Permanent Secretary Office, Ministry of Agrculture and Forestry (MAF), 1999. Agriculture Statistics of the Lao PDR Statistics division. Potutan, Gerald E., et. al. 1999. The Present Status of vegetable consumption, Production, and Marketing in Vientiane, Lao PDR (unpublished). Richter J., Schnitzler W. H. Gura, S (eds). 1995. Vegetable Production in Periurban Areas in the Tropics and Subtropics - food, Income and Quality of Life. Proceeding of an International Workshop. German Foundation for International Development, Council for Tropical and Subtropical Agricultural Research. ZEL, Feldafing Zschortau. 20 January - June 2002