Abstract
Farmers’ knowledge and perception of harvest and postharvest losses in rice production across three agro-ecological zones of Ghana were examined using farm-level data collected from 108 randomly selected rice farmers. To examine the perception and knowledge of farmers on harvest and postharvest losses, means of a 5-point Likert scale were estimated compared with the values of the individual perception statements. Results indicated that rice production was male-dominated (80%) with an ageing farmer population (42 years on average), smaller farm sizes (~5 acres) with over 70% of farmers formally educated. This suggests the potential and need for mechanised interventions in rice production. Majority of the farmers sampled (over 95%) had experienced and were aware of harvest and postharvest losses in rice. Whereas over 50% of the farmers were cultivating the Jasmine rice variety, it was perceived by over 65% of the farmers to be associated with higher harvesting losses. Mechanical agents such as lack of appropriate harvesting machinery were perceived by over 40% of the farmers to cause harvesting losses. On the method of rice threshing, over 50% of the farmers used combines, 36% used the threshing by impact “bambam” method, 11% bag beating and 2% used mechanical threshers. Rice harvest and postharvest activities constituted 21% of total production cost, while accounting for nearly 20% of total grain loss. It is recommended that aside the mechanised interventions, efforts should be geared towards proper development of rice fields to ensure sustainable production and improved land productivity.
Highlights
Rice is the staple food for over three billion people, constituting more than half of the world’s population and supplying 20% of the calories consumed worldwide (Kubo & Purevdorj, 2004; Saed et al, 2011) The importance of rice to the Ghanaian economy cannot be overemphasised, accounting for nearly 15% of the gross domestic product (ISSER, 2000)
The study results suggest that well-targeted efforts to reducing harvest and postharvest losses may interest farmers and lead to the adoption of demand-driven appropriate technologies and best agronomic practices for increased rice production nationwide
Farmers with some level of formal education may better understand the benefits of improved harvest and postharvest technologies than those with no formal education
Summary
Rice is the staple food for over three billion people, constituting more than half of the world’s population and supplying 20% of the calories consumed worldwide (Kubo & Purevdorj, 2004; Saed et al, 2011) The importance of rice to the Ghanaian economy cannot be overemphasised, accounting for nearly 15% of the gross domestic product (ISSER, 2000). The crop has become the second most important food staple after maize in Ghana and its consumption keeps increasing as a result of population growth, urbanisation and change in consumer habit (MoFA, 2009). In addition to being a staple food mainly for high-income urban populations, rice is an important cash crop in the communities in which it is produced (Angelucci, Asante-Poku, & Anaadumba, 2013). Improper harvesting and threshing, according to IDRC (1976), could result in losses of up to 5% of the crop. Harris and Lindblad (1978) attributed the losses which occur at each stage of the rice value chain to a group of general level factors which were; socio-economic, biological, chemical, mechanical and environmental. Biological causative agents of losses include factors that relate to the grain properties such as shatterability and yield. Identifying the causes of rice harvest and postharvest losses is as crucial as the solution required
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