Influence of knowledge, attitude and practices of consumers on the consumption of hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables in Kiambu County, Kenya

Fruits and vegetables are culturally accepted foods consumed by a majority of people worldwide. Knowledge, attitude and practices of consumers have been found to influence the choice and consumption of foods in many populations. However, little is known on their impact on consumption of foods that are produced using novel farming methods such as hydroponic farming, in Kenya. For this reason, this study assessed the influence of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on the frequency of consumption of hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables (FAVs) in Kiambu County, Kenya. A cross-sectional design, involving a consumer survey of 310 randomly selected participants, was used. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to conduct face-to-face interviews. Data was analyzed using SPSS where descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were applied. The results showed that a majority of the participants (89%) had good knowledge about the quality and safety of hydroponically grown FAVs. They also used good practices in handling the FAVs (69%). However, the overall attitude towards hydroponic foods was negative (2.54±1.204). With regard to the influence of KAP on the frequency consumption of FAVs, knowledge was the only predictor of the frequency of consumption of fruits (p=0.002, β=1.639) and vegetables (p=0.044, β=1.232). Based on sociodemographic factors, age and the level of education significantly influenced the frequency of consumption of FAVs. In conclusion, the frequency of consumption of hydroponic FAVs is influenced by the level of knowledge of consumers on the quality and safety of foods grown in this system. Nutrition education on the quality and safety of hydroponically grown foods should be conducted so that consumers are informed about the hydroponically grown nutritious foods and also gain a positive attitude towards this new sustainable farming system.