Sustainable Development through Household Economics: A Sensory Evaluation of Cakes Produced from Wheat, Cocoyam, Plantain, and Bambara Nut Composite Flour Blends as Functional Snacks

2025-10-10T16:36:29+07:00

Background: Composite flours from indigenous crops offer a pathway to healthier snacks, dietary diversity, and reduced reliance on imported wheat, but must meet consumer sensory expectations to be viable. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the sensory properties of cakes made from composite flour blends of wheat, cocoyam, plantain, and bambara nut, and to identify formulations that balance acceptability with functional nutrition potential. Method: An experimental research design was adopted, which allowed for the systematic production and evaluation of cakes prepared from composite flour blends of wheat, cocoyam, plantain, and bambara nut. Result: The sensory evaluation results showed variations in judges’ ratings of cakes made from wheat, cocoyam, plantain, and bambara nut blends compared with 100% wheat cake. Conclusion: These findings support food diversification, partial substitution of imported wheat, and household-scale production through simple SOPs and quality control within the framework of Sustainable Development through Household Economic Units, thereby strengthening local supply chains and micro-business opportunities. Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence that cakes with acceptable sensory quality and nutritional enrichment can promote Sustainable Development through Household Economic Units through simple household-scale SOPs, basic quality control, utilization of local crops, partial wheat substitution, and gender-responsive microenterprises.

Entrepreneurship and Security Solution toward Millennium Development Goals: Assessing the Effect of Entrepreneurial Education on Secondary School Students’ Ability to Address Economic Security Challenges in Anambra State, Nigeria

2025-10-20T18:04:58+07:00

Background: This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial education on secondary school students' ability to address economic security challenges in Anambra State, Nigeria. Objective: The study aimed to investigate how entrepreneurial education influences students' critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving skills, as well as its potential to enhance their ability to cope with economic instability. Method: Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from all 263 principals across six educational zones. No sampling was done as the population was manageable. A self-structured 30-item questionnaire titled "Entrepreneurship Education and Students' Ability to Address Economic Security Challenges" (EEAASC) was used, with a reliability coefficient of 0.85 (Cronbach's Alpha). Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Chi-square tests. Results: Entrepreneurial education significantly enhanced students' critical thinking, innovation, and problem-solving abilities. It also improved their awareness of self-reliant economic skills and their capacity to cope with economic instability in Anambra State and Nigeria as a whole. Conclusion; Entrepreneurial education plays a crucial role in empowering students to address economic security challenges. It fosters key skills necessary for coping with economic instability and enhancing self-reliance. Recommendation: recommendations were made to integrate entrepreneurial education into the curriculum, equipping students with the skills necessary to tackle economic challenges effectively.

Journal of Gender and Millennium Development Studies

Sustainable Development through Household Economics: A Sensory Evaluation of Cakes Produced from Wheat, Cocoyam, Plantain, and Bambara Nut Composite Flour Blends as Functional Snacks

Entrepreneurship and Security Solution toward Millennium Development Goals: Assessing the Effect of Entrepreneurial Education on Secondary School Students’ Ability to Address Economic Security Challenges in Anambra State, Nigeria