Improving the nutritional value of conventional food with underutilized leafy vegetables - consumers acceptance of combining porridge with cowpea leaf powder

Reaching the second UN Sustainable Development Goal requires improving nutritional value of food products and dietary diversity. Simultaneously, recent research highlights importance processing highly nutritious but underutilized African leafy vegetables (ALV) for lowering post-harvest losses bridging off-season gaps. Combining both goals, it seems promising to utilize neglected ALV enhancing conventional items that are already well accepted in consumer diets low value. Therefore, this study analyzes demand maize (Zea mays L.) millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) porridges combined with cowpea leaf powder (Vigna unguiculata L.Walp) (CLP) Kayunga, Uganda. The relies on combining sensory analysis a binding Becker-DeGroot-Marschak auction analyze demand. Results show acceptance CLP-enhanced is predominantly shaped by perception (p < 0.05). Although adding CLP lowers consumers’ appreciation, still identifies reasonably large group consumers, nearly 50% participants, who valued as much plain ones. This justifies conclusion not without risks among many consumers can thus help promote consumption locally available plants. For future product development, we recommend priority given attributes, special focus placed barely incorporate fresh into their diets.   Key words: vegetables, Uganda, willingness pay, analysis, porridge.