Smallholder Maize Farmers Need Better Storage for Food Security: An Exploratory Study over the Storage Types Used in Uganda

Abstract

Storage is a crucial link in the food supply chain. It helps to even-out fluctuations in food demand and supply. This ensures food availability during the lean periods. Despite the immense contribution of storage, a knowledge gap exists on the storage types used by smallholder maize farmers, how they are acquired, used, and their cost in Uganda. Storage affects the social and economic well-being of smallholder maize farmers. In this study, smallholder maize farmers in three districts of eastern Uganda (Iganga, Manafwa, and Katakwi) were interviewed during the maize storage season of 2014/2015. The aim was to: describe the different storage types; find out how they were acquired and used; the length of storage and the cost. The findings show that sacks were the most used storage type. Storage types were acquired through purchase; however, some were constructed by the smallholder maize farmers. Affordability and accessibility determined the storage type used. Some storage types were not used across all the districts; for example, the granary was used in two out of the three sampled districts. Thus, the findings show that maize storage is a challenge. We recommend that maize storage facilities should be improved with affordable to the farmers.