The Contribution of Integrated Polytechnic Regional College (IPRC) Musanze in Creating Valuable Uses to Tomato Crop Farm-Leftovers

Aimable Uwihanganye ,Arno De Snoo

doi:10.7176/jep/12-3-01

Abstract

The study was carried out to identify potential value addition to tomato crop farm-leftovers and investigate their existing end-uses to suggest a collaboration model between tomato farmers in Nkotsi Sector and IPRC Musanze. The findings confirmed that the tomato crop stems are the main type of tomato crop farm-leftovers found on the farm, leaves and roots are also present in minor quantities. Those farm-leftovers are mainly used for compost making, some remain unused at farm level, and few are used for feeding animals. For whatever destination, the tomato crop farm-leftovers do not generate any cash to farmers, and unfortunately, 91% of farmers are not aware of crop farm-leftovers negative effects. All respondents know the IPRC Musanze, and 59% of them recognize its community outreach activities. However, 97% of farmers do not have any previous collaboration with the college even though they show willingness for future collaboration. 62% of interviewed IPRC Musanze TVET trainers revealed limited advanced tomatoes farming activities in the area, and crop farm-leftovers negative effects. A collaboration model between farmers and the college is designed as a new way of working to boost tomato farming in the area as well as improving the quality of TVET training offered by the college. The stable relations, trust, shared problem, resources, planned joint activities and their execution are the elements of the proposed model. Therefore, technical training, joint applied research and innovation activities, joint problem-solving initiatives were suggested as the starting point for the proposed model. Keywords: Tomato crop, farm-leftover, TVET, collaboration DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-3-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Highlights

IntroductionThat number is directly linked to the global unprecedented increased demand for food from 59% to 98% by 2050
1.3 The study objective The objective of the present study is to identify potential value addition activities to tomato crop farm-leftovers and investigate the current farm-leftovers uses, to suggest collaboration model between tomato farmers in Nkotsi Sector and Integrated Polytechnic Regional Colleges (IPRCs) Musanze as a channel of solutions provision on tomato farming development challenges
The surveys and in-depth interview results confirm that tomato farming in Nkotsi sector is at a smallscale level, with individual farmers and moderate primary production of tomatoes, relatively farm-leftovers quantity is generated

Summary

Introduction

That number is directly linked to the global unprecedented increased demand for food from 59% to 98% by 2050. The feed and fuel demand will increase probably due to underutilization of agricultural and horticultural production byproducts (Junker-Frohn, et al, 2019). During its production especially in postharvest activities, tomato crop produces a huge number of discarded/unvalued residues at farm level, trashes at the fresh market as well as rubbish at the processing units. Among those residues, about 33 kg of leaf and stem biomass per 100 kg of harvested tomatoes accrue during and at the end of the growing period (Junker-Frohn, et al, 2019). The large quantities of discarded plant biomass from primary production are either used for biofuel production, composted, or are discarded with costs (Junker-Frohn et al, 2019)

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