| dc.description.abstract | Honey traceability information systems despite being important are not always well established especially in countries with constrained financial resources. This is because of the high expenses associated with their application, monitoring, and maintenance. Nevertheless, some suppliers and producers can voluntarily avail this information, but would incur extra production costs which they have to pass onto the consumers to pay as premiums. However, empirical evidence on the awareness by the consumers of such traceability information systems and their willingness to pay such premium merited investigation. The study used a cross-sectional survey of 220 honey consumers randomly selected from Wakiso district to assess consumer awareness and willingness to pay a premium for traceable honey. The study sought to; characterise consumers that are aware and those that are not aware of traceable honey, determine the premium consumers who are aware and those not aware are willing to pay for traceable honey, and investigate the factors that influence the premium consumers are willing to pay for traceable honey. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize consumers, and determine the premium they were willing to pay for traceable honey. A probit regression model was used to investigate the factors that influence the premium consumers are willing to pay for traceable honey. Approximately 30.45% of the consumers were aware of traceable honey, while 69.55% were not aware. Consumers who were aware of traceable honey earned a significantly higher mean monthly income compared to the overall mean income and to that earned by consumers who were not aware. Consumers who were aware of traceable honey significantly spent more years in school than those who were not aware. Approximately 58.60% of the honey consumers were employed. Furthermore, 82.00% of the consumers who were aware of traceable honey were more willing to pay a premium. The overall mean willingness to pay premium amount was Uganda shillings 2,091 per 500 gm pack of honey. Probit regression results revealed two statistically significant variables: traceability awareness, and employment status which positively influenced the premium consumers are willing to pay for traceable honey. The study recommends that consumers’ awareness of traceable honey be boosted through organizing knowledge-sharing events, such as exhibitions and trade fairs to stimulate a greater WTP. | en_US |
