Improved Storage Technologies Research Articles

Occurrence and Levels of Mycotoxins in On-Farm-Stored Sesame in Major Growing Districts of Ethiopia

Mycotoxins in sesame seeds pose a significant risk to both food safety and Ethiopia’s economy. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and concentrations of mycotoxins in sesame seeds kept on farms in Ethiopia’s key sesame-producing areas. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 470 sesame seed samples from farmers′ storage facilities in five important districts. Total aflatoxin (AFT), ochratoxin A (OTA), total fumonisin (FUM), and deoxynivalenol (DON) were identified using both a lateral flow reader and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The analysis revealed that all samples contained mycotoxins to varying degrees, with AFT and DON being particularly common. AFT levels varied between 2.5 and 27.8 parts per billion (μg/kg), averaging 13.8 μg/kg, while OTA concentrations were between 5.0 and 9.7 μg/kg, averaging 7.1 μg/kg. Total fumonisin levels spanned from 300 to 1300 μg/kg, averaging 800 μg/kg. DON was found in the range of 560 to 700 μg/kg. Notably, 96.8% of the samples fell within the safe range for AFT, FUM, and DON mean levels as defined by the Federal Drug Administration’s maximum limits. The co-occurrence rates of AFT-OTA, DON-OTA, AFT-FUM, FUM-DON, and FUM-OTA were observed at 44.0%, 38.3%, 33.8%, 30.2%, 29.8%, and 26.0%, respectively. Around 37.2% of the samples showed signs of fungal infection, and seed germination rates varied between 66.8% and 91.1%. The Limmu district exhibited higher total aflatoxin levels, greater kernel infection, and reduced germination rates compared to other districts. The Wollega sesame variety was more susceptible to kernel infection, had higher total aflatoxin levels, and lower germination rates compared to other varieties. Additionally, the age of the grain significantly affected (p < 0.05) both kernel infection and germination. Current storage practices in Ethiopia’s primary sesame-growing districts are conducive to the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungi. Given the public health implications of mycotoxin levels in sesame, it is imperative for stakeholders to collaborate in identifying and implementing secure and effective storage solutions to preserve both the quantity and quality of sesame at the smallholder farmer level. This study underscores the necessity for improved storage technologies to safeguard sesame quality and diminish the risk of mycotoxin contamination.

Demand, supply and long-term adoption: Evidence from a storage technology in West Africa

Most research on technology adoption focuses on the demand side, emphasizing the role of information provision, financial incentives and nudges. Yet supply plays a critical and oft-overlooked role in facilitating the take-up of new technologies. We study the supply- and demand-side factors affecting the adoption of an improved storage technology (hermetically-sealed bags, or PICS) in Niger, which was introduced and freely distributed in West Africa in the late 2000s. Using surveys, survey experiments and a willingness-to-pay (WTP) experiment with farmers and traders, we find that PICS bags are largely profitable for small-scale farmers as compared to traditional storage technologies. Yet a majority of farmers and traders do not store in PICS bags, and average WTP is approximately 50% of the market price. There is also significant regional variation in adoption and WTP, which cannot be fully explained by differences in production or storage patterns. We find that these adoption patterns are not primarily explained by information frictions or liquidity constraints. While there is some evidence of behavioral barriers to adoption, we posit that the main explanation of these distinct equilibria is variation in supply, driven by a market structure introduced over a decade ago.

Does access to improved grain storage technology increase farmers' welfare? Experimental evidence from maize farming in Ethiopia

AbstractSeasonal price variability for cereals is two to three times higher in Africa than on the international reference market. Seasonality is even more pronounced when access to appropriate storage and opportunities for price arbitrage are limited. As smallholder farmers typically sell their production after harvest, when prices are low, this leads to lower incomes as well as higher food insecurity during the lean season, when prices are high. One solution to reduce seasonal stress is the use of improved storage technologies. Using data from a randomised controlled trial, in a major maize‐growing region of Western Ethiopia, we study the impact of hermetic bags, a technology that protects stored grain against insect pests, so that the grain can be stored longer. Despite considerable price seasonality—maize prices in the lean season are 36% higher than after harvesting—we find no evidence that hermetic bags improve welfare, except that access to these bags allowed for a marginally longer storage period of maize intended for sale by 2 weeks. But this did not translate into measurable welfare gains as we found no changes in any of our welfare outcome indicators. This ‘near‐null’ effect is due to the fact that maize storage losses in our study region are relatively lower than previous studies suggested—around 10% of the quantity stored—likely because of the widespread use of an alternative to protect maize during storage, for example a cheap but highly toxic fumigant. These findings are important for policies that seek to promote improved storage technologies in these settings.

The economics of reducing food losses: Experimental evidence from improved storage technology in India

Understanding the economics of food loss-reduction technologies is crucial to promote their adoption. We offer experimental evidence on returns to technology that studies a wide range of food security outcomes and accounts for the quality, quantity, and economic gains from adoption. Using two randomized experiments on improved storage with farmers in India, we find that food loss-reduction technology delivers large gains on multiple aspects of food security. The largest benefits of loss-reduction technology come from reduced quality and economic losses. Using a novel within-farmer experiment, we offer evidence of significant economic incentives for investing in loss-reduction technology in local rural markets. Our cost-benefit analysis shows that farmers recover the full unsubsidized cost of the reusable improved storage technology in one agricultural season.

Incentive mechanisms to exploit intraseasonal price arbitrage opportunities for smallholder farmers: Experimental evidence from Malawi

AbstractSeasonal commodity price fluctuations can potentially offer farmers arbitrage opportunities to increase their income. However, smallholder farmers in most of sub‐Saharan Africa often do not exploit these opportunities to the fullest extent possible. To inform this issue, we conducted a randomized controlled trial among 1739 smallholder farmers in Malawi to estimate the impact of two key post‐harvest constraints, lack of appropriate storage technology and commitment issues, on farmers' legume storage and sales decisions. The treated groups received (i) an improved storage technology in the form of two hermetic (airtight) bags, (ii) the same improved storage technology under the condition that farmers store collectively with members of their farmer club in their village, and/or (iii) the improved storage technology under the condition that farmers store collectively at a centralized association warehouse. We analyzed the impacts of these treatments on storage behavior and revenue from sales. Results indicated that addressing the technological and commitment constraints simultaneously had the largest average impacts. One year after the intervention, farmers offered hermetic bags and the village storage program (Treatment 2) stored 24% more legumes at harvest, stored 27% longer, received a 3% higher price for their legumes and ultimately made 12% more on average than farmers in the control group. Farmers in that treatment also improved some (but not all) outcomes compared to farmers in other treatment groups. These findings suggest that combining technology with collective action that is localized and flexible can lead to better post‐harvest outcomes for smallholder farmers.

Post-Harvest Management Practices Of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranea (L.) Verdc) Seeds In Burkina Faso

Bambara groundnut plays a major role in the production systems and diets of farmers in Burkina Faso. This crop, due to certain production, storage, or preservation conditions, is subject to damage by insects and fungi. Effective post-harvest management can contribute significantly to reducing losses during storage. This study was carried out in the three agro-ecological areas in Burkina Faso to assess post-harvest management practices of Bambara groundnut among farmers. The data were collected from 180 farmers using surveys. The results showed that the culture of Bambara groundnut was mainly carried out by women (74.4%) on small farms (0.25-0.5ha). The harvested crops were dried at home during a period of 5 to 14 days. About 53% of farmers stored seeds for more than 3 months. Seeds were mainly stored in hermetically sealed cans (45.6%) and in plastic bags (31.1%). Some products such as wood ash and chemicals were used for seed storage. Challenges during seed storage were insects (91.4%) and fungi (42.9%). In the case of seeds attacked by pests (insects, fungi, etc.), farmers (84.4%) adopt a set of measures consisting of sorting, winnowing, drying, and repackaging the seeds. Besides the existence of traditional storage techniques, there is still a need to develop effective storage techniques and continue building farmers’ awareness on improved storage technologies to avoid post-harvest losses.

Storage Losses of Maize in Four Different Storage Methods in Thangrong Gewog, Mongar Dzongkhag

Several maize storage technologies are made available and recommended to the farmers in the villages by different agencies to reduce post-harvest losses. This study aimed to evaluate the storage losses of maize mainly to insect and fungal damages in four different storage methods for a maximum of five months storage period in Thangrong, Mongar dzongkhag (district). Freshly harvested maize was shelled, dried, weighed and stored under four different storage methods and replicated three times for each storage method. Moisture content, physiological weight loss, insect and fungal damages were the storage quality parameters assessed monthly until five months of storage. All the storage methods maintained the moisture content within the range recommended for the safe storage of maize (12-14 %). The physiological loss of weight (PLW) was the lowest at 0.10 % for the maize grain stored in super bag and the highest at 0.30 % was observed in grains stored in curing and storage shed over the four-month storage period. Traditional storage and silos resulted in PLW of 0.20 % and 0.16 %, respectively. Overall insect damage (sum for five months) of 2.54 % in the traditional storage was the highest reported among the storage methods followed by 1.79 % for grains stored in curing and storage sheds. Insect damage of 0.64 % for super bag and 0.27 % for silo stored maize grains were observed. Fungal damaged grain ranged from a low of 0.19 % for curing and storage shed to a high of 0.31 % for super bag stored maize grains. Overall storage losses (sum for five months) to insects and fungal diseases were in the range of 0.51-2.80 % with the highest being observed in traditional storage and the lowest in silo storage. All the storage methods evaluated maintained good quality maize grains with minimal damage till five months of storage. The existing improved storage technologies could help in the safe storage of maize grains if stored after proper drying. It is recommended to conduct a similar comparative study for the maize harvested and stored in the summer months and also at a different location to validate the results.

Influence of the Final Ratio on the Consumption of an Electric Vehicle under Conditions of Standardized Driving Cycles

Electric vehicles must improve their electric drive system efficiency and effectively use their limited energy to become a viable means of transportation. As such, these technologies have undergone substantial improvements from their initial conception. More efficient powertrains, together with improved storage technologies, have enabled more extended autonomy. However, from an engineering perspective, these systems are still a key area of research and optimization. This work presents a powertrain optimization methodology, developing energy savings and improving the performance of the electric vehicle by focusing on the differential. The proposed methodology includes a study of the dynamics of the electric vehicle and the generation of a mathematical model that represents it. By simulating the vehicle and varying the final ratio of the differential, a significant optimization for energy savings is obtained by developing a standardized driving cycle. In this case, NEDC, WLTC-2, and WLTC-3 test cycles are used. The results show that a short ratio improves performance, even if this implies a larger torque from the prime mover. Depending on the operating cycle used, an energy-saving between 3% and 8% was registered. An extended energy autonomy and an increment in the life-cycle of the batteries are expected in real driving scenarios.

Evaluating the Impacts of Smallholder Farmer’s Participation in Modern Agricultural Value Chain Tactics for Facilitating Poverty Alleviation—A Case Study of Kiwifruit Industry in Shaanxi, China

Market-based initiatives like agriculture value chain (AVC) are becoming progressively pervasive to support smallholder rural farmers and assist them in entering larger market interventions and providing a pathway of enhancing their socioeconomic well-being. Moreover, it may also foster staggering effects towards the post-era poverty alleviation in rural areas and possessed a significant theoretical and practical influence for modern agricultural development. The prime objective of the study is to explore the effects of smallholder farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain for availing rural development and poverty alleviation. Specifically, we have crafted the assessment employing pre-production (improved fertilizers usage), in-production (modern preservation technology), and post-production (supply chain) participation and interventions of smallholder farmers. The empirical data has been collected from a micro survey dataset of 623 kiwifruit farmers from July to September in Shaanxi, China. We have employed propensity score matching (PSM), probit, and OLS models to explore the multidimensional poverty reduction impact and heterogeneity of farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain. The results show that the total number of poor farmers who have experienced one-dimensional and two-dimensional poverty is relatively high (66.3%). We also find that farmers’ participation in agricultural value chain activities has a significant poverty reduction effect. The multidimensional poverty level of farmers using improved fertilizer, organizational acquisition, and using storage technology (compared with non-participating farmers) decreased by 30.1%, 46.5%, and 25.0%, respectively. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of male farmers using improved fertilizer and participating in the organizational acquisition is greater than that of women. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of female farmers using storage and fresh-keeping technology has a greater impact than the males using storage and improved storage technology. Government should widely promote the value chain in the form of pre-harvest, production, and post-harvest technology. The public–private partnership should also be strengthened for availing innovative technologies and infrastructure development.

Usage of Maize Storage Technologies for Postharvest Loss Prevention in OkeOgun/Saki Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

This study assessed the usage of traditional and improved maize storage technologies by farmers in Saki/Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State. The study was conducted from April-July, 2019; using a validated structured questionnaire for data collection. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to draw a sample of 191 maize farmers. Grain storage technologies usage frequency was measured on afour-point Likert-type numerical scale 4-1 as regularly, occasionally, seldom, and never respectively. Descriptive analysis of collected data revealed regular usage of both raffia woven basket (98.9%) and traditional crib (96.1%) by respondents. Sampled maize farmers overwhelmingly indicated non-usage of rhombus (98.0%) to store their produce; with a substantial number (88.2%) rarely using containers. Further analysis shows maize farmers used improved crib regularly (76.5%). Inert atmosphere silo (80.4%), conventional silo (76.5%), purdue improved crop storage (90.2%) and zerofly™ (65.4%) bags were never used to store maize by farmers. Chisquare ) analysis revealed significant (p≤0.05) associations between technology 30 usage and socioeconomic characteristics of maize farmers. The cost and bulk storage nature of improved storage technology could be traced to its never used; while awareness is also very low on the use of those cost effective bagged technologies.
 Keywords: Storage usage, traditional grain technology.

Assessment of the effectiveness of storage structures for maintaining the quality of maize seed stored at different moisture levels

One of the main causes of food insecurity is the timely unavailability of quality seeds for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Improved storage technologies are effective in reducing storage losses. Thus, the objective of this research is to assess the traditional and emerging seed storage structures/materials for the maintenance of seed qualities. The effect of different storage conditions (moisture content of seed at the time of storage, i.e. 12±0.15% and 13.5±0.18%; storage containers such as metal bin, earthen pot, Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bag, and jute bag) on seed qualities of maize were assessed. The seed was collected from Chitwan, Nepal and a laboratory experiment was conducted at the central seed testing laboratory, seed quality control center (SQQC), Hariharbhawan, Lalitpur. The experiment was done using a two-factor complete randomized design in a four replicates design. Data regarding the seed qualities (seed moisture percentage, germination percentage, root and shoot length, and vigor index) just before store and also at 45, 90, 135, 180, and 240 days after storage (DAS) was performed as per the standard followed by International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). The germination percentage, root, and shoot length decreased with increasing storage duration. The seed stored in the higher moisture level had significantly higher seed moisture throughout the storage duration. Seed stored in the traditional structures (jute bag and earthen pot) had lower seed moisture at 120 and 180 DAS. The seed stored at lower moisture resulted in a higher germination percentage, long root, and shoot length. Up to six months of storage germination of maize seeds stored in the earthen pots, PICS bag, and Jute bags were statistically similar. The traditional storage structures are equally effective for the maintenance of seed quality of maize.

Postharvest losses and mitigating technologies: evidence from Upper East Region of Ghana

Abstract Post-harvest losses (PHL) have been identified as a crucial challenge to achieving food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. Access to reliable data and standardized methods of estimating PHL are a twin barrier to developing long term mitigation options and policies to reduce PHL. This study assessed PHL in 6 districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana to facilitate planning and dissemination of mitigating strategies. The second part involved participatory evaluation of improved storage technologies to reduce PHL in two vulnerable crops (maize and cowpea). Overall, farmers’ declared PHL were higher across the crops compared to laboratory measurement. Crops recording higher PHL were in order of cowpea (17.3%), Bambara nut (11.5%), groundnut (8.9%) and maize (8.2%). By disseminating appropriate technologies to farmers, PHL were reduced to 3.1% from 36.7% in maize and 6.4% from 77.8% in cowpea during 12 months of storage. In spite of the high PHL, the respondents showed low technical and resource capabilities to minimize losses. Other factors contributing to PHL were the small-scale nature of production, and high cost of improved techniques tailored for same smallholders. Although the improved storage methods were associated with high variable costs, all the treatments showed positive stream of discounted net benefits .

On-farm evaluation of effectiveness of improved postharvest handling of maize in reducing grain losses, mold infection and aflatoxin contamination in rural Uganda

Postharvest losses remain a challenge among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The uses of hermetic storage containers (hermetic bags and metallic silos), tarpaulin sheet (plastic sheet) and raised racks reduce postharvest deterioration of grain. This study evaluated the effectiveness of selected improved drying and storage postharvest technologies and practices in reducing maize grain postharvest losses among smallholder farmers in Kamuli and Apac districts, Uganda. The assessed improved storage technologies were hermetic bags and metallic silos against woven polypropylene bags (common farmer practice). For drying, use of tarpaulins and raised racks were assessed against drying on bare ground (common farmer practice). Grain quality and quantity were determined at harvest as well as during drying and six months of storage using Longe 10H variety. Mean quantitative losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level of maize at harvest were 13.72 ± 5.44%, 59.01 ± 17.97% and 1.21 ± 0.7 ppb, respectively for traditional practice. Improved drying and storage technologies resulted in significantly lower (p≤0.05) losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level than the common farmer practices. Drying on bare ground (3.04 ± 1.50%) resulted in 1.94 times and 7.07 times higher quantitative losses than drying on tarpaulins (1.56 ± 1.09%) and raised racks (0.43 ± 0.58%). By the sixth month of storage, polypropylene bag storage resulted in 3.7 times and 84 times higher quantitative losses (23.7 ± 5.11%) than hermetic bags (6.33 ± 5.41%) and metallic silos (0.28 ± 0.22%), respectively. Polypropylene bag storage also resulted in 4.4 times and 6 times higher aflatoxin levels (45.82 ± 20.88 ppb) than hermetic bags and metallic silos, respectively. The interaction effects of type of drying technology and storage technology used on aflatoxin levels at the end of the storage period was significant. The highest mold infection and aflatoxin levels were observed when drying was done on bare ground and storage was in polypropylene bags and by the sixth month of storage, mold infection was 90.54 ± 5.48% and average aflatoxin content was 53.47 ± 22.79 ppb. Storage in metallic silos was the most effective in controlling mold infection and aflatoxin contamination, regardless of drying practice, while storage in polypropylene bags was the least effective. From the results, improved drying and storage technologies and practices were found to reduce postharvest maize losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level by over 50%. Use of raised drying racks and storage in metallic silos was found to be the most effective combination in maintaining maizequality and reducing postharvest losses. Key words: Aflatoxins, maize quality, mold infection, grain storage, postharvest losses

Factors determining smallholder farmers’ willingness to pay for a metal silo in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACTThe outbreak of devastating storage pests has rendered smallholder farmers' traditional storage practices ineffective. This study used single bound dichotomous choice contingent valuation to examine factors determining smallholder farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for a metal silo, a new and improved storage technology in Zimbabwe. Data were collected using structured questionnaires from 249 randomly selected households in Makoni and Shamva Districts. Logit results showed that storage loss, quantity of non-food crops, equipment value, vegetable income, participation in informal activities, and household head's age and marital status significantly influenced WTP for metal silos. The amount of grain lost in storage positively influenced farmers' WTP, suggesting that current storage practices are not effective against storage losses. Income variables, except the value of equipment, showed a positive influence on WTP for a metal silo implying that increasing the household's income eases financial constraints that could impede investments in the silo technology. The study recommends the adoption of metal silos to curb storage losses and improve household food security. Diversification of agriculture and provision of credit are recommended to increase WTP for metal silos. Development agents promoting the technology should target married and young households for sustainability, without marginalising their counterparts.

Farmers’ Grain Storage and Losses in Ethiopia

Abstract While storage losses at the farm are often assumed to be an important contributor to presumed large postharvest losses in developing countries, reliable and representative data on these losses are often lacking. We study farmers’ storage decisions and self-reported storage losses for grains based on two large-scale household surveys conducted in major agricultural areas in Ethiopia. We show that a relatively large share of grain production is stored by farm households for own consumption and that storage technologies are rudimentary. Farmers’ self-reported storage losses amount to an average of 4 % of all grains stored and 2 % of total harvest. These storage losses differ significantly by socioeconomic variables and wealth, as well as by crop and humidity. We further see strong spatial heterogeneity in storage losses being significantly higher in southwest Ethiopia. Efforts to scale up the adoption of improved storage technologies to reduce storage losses at the farm level should consider these characteristics.

Food Safety and Adverse Selection in Rural Maize Markets

Without enforced standards or reliable third-party verification, food safety threats such as pesticide residues and aflatoxin contamination are generally unobservable or only partially observable to both buyers and sellers, especially of staple foods in rural maize markets in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, sellers have more information about food quality than do buyers. Such information asymmetries can impede market development and undermine human health. We study farm household behaviour in the context of imperfect food safety information. We pool observations obtained from 707 food storage containers maintained by 309 farm households in Benin, surveyed following the maize harvests of 2011/2012 and 2013/2014. Our results indicate that when a household perceives a food safety risk associated with application of insecticides, on average it is 33 percentage points less likely to apply insecticides to maize it intends to consume than it is to maize it intends to sell. These individuals are also more likely to sell maize than households without food safety concerns. Results highlight the potential value of improved storage technologies and quality control to promote market transactions and reduce hidden health risks.

Exploring the profitability of improved storage technologies and their potential impacts on food security and income of smallholder farm households in Tanzania

This study assesses the profitability of selected improved grain storage technologies and the potential impact of their adoption on food security and income of smallholder maize producers in Tanzania. We used on-farm experiment data, time series maize price data, and household survey data to address the objectives. For the improved technologies, we considered Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags, metallic silos of different sizes, and polypropylene (PP) bags treated with Actellic Super®. We compared them with PP bags without insecticide treatment as the control. Results show that PICS bags and PP bags plus Actellic Super are profitable in all locations and not significantly different. While the feasible period varies by location, profit is most likely negative if farmers sell their maize in the first two months after harvest and in the last two months before the next harvest. There are mixed results with regards to the profitability of metallic silos; bigger silos are profitable for farmers who have economies of scale to use them while smaller ones are profitable only within the context of higher grain price and bigger seasonal price gap. The results also show that PICS bags (or PP bags plus Actellic Super) are useful to address food security and income objectives among poor rural households whereas metallic silos with bigger storage capacity can increase the income of those farmers who have bigger surplus grain to sale.

Farmers’ Perceptions of Mexican Bean Weevil, Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman), and Pest Management Practices in Southern Ethiopia

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is one of the most important sources of protein in Ethiopia and other developing countries. However, the Mexican bean weevil, Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman), is a major constraint of stored common bean that causes qualitative and quantitative losses. This study was conducted to assess farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of Mexican bean weevil, to examine farmers’ pest management practices, and to identify challenges of pest management practices to develop integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. A survey of 148 smallholder common bean farmers was conducted at Mareka and Loma districts in southern Ethiopia. The majority (75%) of the farmers stored common bean in polypropylene bags while less than 10% of the farmers stored beans in ‘Diya’ (a traditional storage structure). Most (60.8%) farmers stored their beans in seed (threshed) form, and the majority (63.5%) of them stored their beans for 3-5 months. The majority of the farmers had knowledge about the Mexican bean weevil; they could identify damaged seeds based on the ‘holes’ on the seed (72.3%) and circular ‘windows’ on the seed (20.0%). About 45% of the farmers mentioned the high amount of loss at the time of storage. In addition, most farmers (53.4%) estimated 26-50% loss in storage. Most farmers reported the use of pesticidal plants for control of Mexican bean weevil, while only a few farmers reported they had applied insecticide in their store. Education level and family size had a positive and statistically significant impact on the use of pesticidal plants for the control of Mexican bean weevil. Furthermore, education level also influences the use of chemical insecticide. Results highlighted the need to use improved storage technology and to train farmers in postharvest handling practices as a component to develop IPM approach in order to minimize losses occurring along the value chains of the common bean.

Postharvest Management Practices of Grains in the Eastern Region of Kenya.

Cereals and legumes play a major role in the production systems and diets of farmers in the semi-arid eastern region of Kenya. Efficient postharvest management can tremendously contribute to food security in these regions. A study was carried out in three counties in eastern Kenya to assess pre and postharvest management practices among farmers. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires designed and administered using Kobo Toolbox via android tablets. Results showed that farmers cultivated three main crops: maize (98%), beans 66%), and pigeon peas (28%). The most saved seed crops were beans (80%) and pigeon peas (50%). Majority of the farmers (80%) experienced pre-drying losses due to insects (48%), rodents (40%) and birds (39%). Farmers stored grain for consumption (80%) and for sale (19%). About 48% of farmers stored the grain for more than 9 months. Challenges during grain storage were insects (57%) and rodents (43%). Primary methods of grain preservation included hermetic methods (61%) followed by insecticides (33%). While progress is being made in addressing storage challenges, there still a need to continue building awareness about improved storage technologies and find solutions for pest infestations in the field and drying after harvest.

Does improved storage technology promote modern input use and food security? Evidence from a randomized trial in Uganda

We use panel data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) administered among 1200 smallholders in Uganda to evaluate input use and food security impacts of an improved maize storage technology. After two seasons, households who received the technology were 10 percentage points more likely to plant hybrid maize varieties that are more susceptible to insect pests in storage than traditional lower-yielding varieties. Treated smallholders also stored maize for a longer period, reported a substantial drop in storage losses, and were less likely to use storage chemicals than untreated cohorts. Our results indicate that policies to promote soft kernel high-yielding hybrid maize varieties in sub-Saharan Africa should consider an improvement in post-harvest storage as a complementary intervention to increase adoption of these varieties.