By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus

A Nigerian researcher in the United States, Mayowa Amusan, has identified agritourism and consumer demand for locally produced food as potential sources of additional income for farmers.

Amusan’s research, titled Drivers of Agritourism Participation and Willingness to Pay for Local Foods, examined factors influencing consumers’ participation in farm-based tourism and their willingness to pay higher prices for locally produced food.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Tourism Economics, in 2026 and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN reports that agritourism offers farmers opportunities to diversify their income beyond conventional agricultural production by bringing consumers closer to farming activities and creating avenues for direct engagement with farm products.

Amusan, a PhD student in Economics at Middle Tennessee State University, conducted the research with four co-authors while pursuing his master’s degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia.

The researchers analysed responses from 374 adults in Georgia, United States, to determine what attracts consumers to farm-based tourism, factors discouraging participation and attitudes influencing their willingness to pay more for locally produced food.

The study found that respondents attracted to rural landscapes and farm-related activities were more likely to participate in agritourism, which includes farm visits, guided tours and pick-your-own experiences.

It also identified social factors as important influences, noting that respondents who experienced difficulties finding companions for farm visits were less likely to participate in agritourism activities.

Similarly, the research found that people whose family members and friends showed little interest in agritourism were less likely to engage in such activities.

On local food consumption, the study found that environmental concern, health awareness and personal image were associated with more favourable attitudes towards locally produced food.

It noted that these favourable attitudes were strongly linked to respondents’ stated willingness to pay higher prices for locally produced food products.

Amusan said the findings could help farmers and agritourism operators in the United States design visitor experiences and marketing strategies that appeal to consumers.

He suggested that organising activities that families and friends could enjoy together might attract more visitors to farms and encourage participation in agritourism.

He also said communicating the environmental and health-related attributes of locally produced food could help farmers connect with potential customers and strengthen demand.

Amusan said his interest in the research was driven by the need to understand how agritourism and local food markets could provide additional income opportunities for farmers.

He, however, cautioned against applying the findings directly to Nigeria, noting that the study was conducted among consumers in Georgia, United States.

According to him, similar research involving Nigerian consumers would be necessary to establish what attracts them to farm-based activities, what discourages participation and how they perceive locally produced food.

He said such evidence would help determine whether consumer attitudes and participation patterns identified in the United States also existed in Nigeria.

The study clarified that it measured respondents’ stated willingness to pay rather than their actual purchases and did not establish cause-and-effect relationships. (NAN)
BAY/AUO/ADA
==========
Edited by Usman Aliyu/Deji Abdulwahab