Do you have food losses occurring in your value chain and are you struggling with improving efficiency in storage, handling, processing or any other post harvest processes. The best idea will receive support in securing funds to be implemented in a pilot scale. Robert owusu, a postharvest loss specialist at the ghanabased savanna agricultural research institute, tells scidev. Field test report on the estimation of crop yields and post harvest losses in ghana. As a result farmers sprayed chemical pesticides to control them in order to meet. Continental programme on postharvest losses phl reduction. The gpt observed current grain handling and pest management tactics, storedproduct insect activity, drying systems and postharvest grain losses in onfarm storages and small, medium. For example the levels of qualitative losses due to aflatoxin contamination, although not reported, have dire longterm effects on health. The usaid ghana sustainable fisheries management project sfmp. Losses impact producers and consumers, reducing farmer incomes and raising consumer prices as a result of diminished supply.
Determinants of postharvest losses in tomato production in the offinso north district of ghana article pdf available in journal of development and agricultural economics 68. Post harvest losses can occur during any of the various stages of post production system. Post harvest losses occur between harvest and the moment of human consumption. Chronic dietary exposure to low doses of aflatoxins is a known risk factor for liver cancer and other healthrelated issues. Gasga group for assistance on systems relating to grain after harvest gmp good manufacturing practices gtz german technical assistance. Continental programme on postharvest losses phl reduction rapid needs assessment working document ghana 2 1. The world resources institute wri, however, refers to it as food loss and waste flw. The post harvest sector includes all points in the value chain from production in the field to the food being placed on a plate for consumption. Minagri estimates between 15% and 22% postharvest losses in cereals as a result. August 9, 2018 the millennium development authority mida financed the construction of 10 agribusiness centers abcs to provide services for the initial processing, storage, and marketing of grain crops produced by farmerbased organizations fbos within their respective intervention areas. Commentary minimizing postharvest losses among smallholder. Field test report on the estimation of crop yields and postharvest losses in ghana. Approximately 40% of these losses occur storage at the farm and market, 30% during processing drying, threshing, and winnowing, 20% in transport from the field to the homesteadfarm, and the remaining 10% during transport to market.
This tends to make farming unattractive, and inhibits efforts at ensuring food security in the country whiles perpetuating poverty amongst some farmers, who lose even all their. Agriculture and consumer sciences, university of ghana during the 20112012 academic year. Postharvest losses major cause of poverty, food insecurity. Postharvest activities include harvesting, handling, storage, processing, packaging, transportation and marketing. Tomato production can improve the livelihoods of smallscale. The first international congress on postharvest loss prevention.
Along the renewed focus on investment in agriculture that began in 2008, there is an increasing interest in effective intervention for post harvest losses phl reduction. Measuring postharvest losses of fresh fruits and vegetables. Measuring postharvest losses in fruits and vegetables in developing. Cofounder and ceo isaac sesi 27 answers our questions. Important in many developing countries, particularly in africa, are onfarm losses during storage, when. Commentary minimizing postharvest losses among smallholder tomato farmers in ghana by mavis owurekuasare mavis owurekuasare is research scientific officer at the biotechnology and nuclear agriculture research institute, ghana atomic energy commission. Consequently, even though the weight losses post harvest for roots and tubers and fruits and vegetables are substantially higher than those of cereals 54 and 66 percent respectively compared with 20. However, the high cost and complexity of setting up tomato canning facilities has prevented a sustainable tomato preservation industry in the country. Bellobravo7 provided in partial fulfillment of a grant with. Study of postharvest losses covers many aspects, in view of the wide range of a products involved.
Postharvest loss in subsaharan africa what do farmers say. A twoweek incountry assessment of postharvest losses phl in the ghana maize value chain was conducted in the middle belt of the country by ten experts in. The main causes of rice losses in post harvest operations include. Assessment of maize postharvest losses in the middle belt of. There is a need to introduce alternative, inexpensive, efficient, smallscale. Past interventions to halt postharvest ph losses focused on improvement of. Coastal resources center, graduate school of oceanography, university of rhode island and snv netherlands development organization. How serious is the problem of post harvest losses in africa. How to manage postharvest loss working in development. They include onfarm losses, such as when grain is threshed, winnowed, and dried, as well as losses along the chain during transportation, storage, and processing. The investment required to reduce phl is relatively modest and the return on that investment rises. A report on assessment of maize postharvest losses in the middle. Assessment of maize postharvest losses in the middle belt.
T he food and agriculture organization fao estimates that 32 percent of global food production is lost after harvestand up to 37 percent in subsaharan africa. In the past, ghana has attempted to reduce postharvest losses of tomatoes by processing its own tomato paste. The platform, championed by the ghana trade and livelihood coalition gtlc, is composed of decentralized units of the department of agriculture covering the crop service division, plant. This is a great achievement for us and we are so much grateful for it said lydia.
Effect of postharvest losses on rice farmers income in. Is postharvest loss significant in subsaharan africa. Post harvest losses of rice from harvesting to milling in. Sanni 1999 observed a total neglect of the post harvest system in the country, while, ukohaviomoh et al. A metaanalysis has been conducted to expose nature and magnitude of phl, and the kinds of interventions that have been attempted to mitigate the losses.
In africa, postharvest losses of maize from harvest to market sale are believed to amount to around 1020%. Pdf post harvest losses of rice from harvesting to milling. Postharvest losses high study ghana homepage, resource. Fao estimates from 2011 suggest that as much as 37 percent of food produced in subsaharan africa is lost between production and consumption. A twoweek in country assessment of postharvest losses phl in the ghana maize value chain was conducted in northern ghana by seven experts in communications and agricultural education, post harvest engineering technology, and storedproducts protection from four. According to the food and agriculture organisation of the united nations, 30% of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. A significant proportion 40% of roots and tubers are also lost after harvest. Technical paper on postharvest losses acfjanuary 2014 page 5 weight losses in traditional postharvest chain crop weight losses in mechanized postharvest chain fig. Nov 20, 2017 why reducing post harvest losses is a priority for africa november 20, 2017 8. Estimated losses weight and quality from the postharvest chain for rice in south asia after hodges et al.
Agyekum, resistance to postharvest microbial rot in yam. The staple crops studied were cassava, yam, sweet potatoes, maize, rice. A product that reduces postharvest losses in ghana. The first international congress on postharvest loss. In 2011 the world bank, the uks natural resources institute, and the fao published a report, missing food. Nov 19, 2014 he said in order for ghana to make any meaningful headway to minimise post harvest losses, it was important that the ministry of agriculture, the private sector and academia worked together to. Determinants of yam postharvest management in the zabzugu. Usaidghana sustainable fisheries management project coastal resources center graduate school of oceanography university of rhode island 220 south ferry rd. For post harvest handling and storage loss only, the fao estimate is 8 percent, and the african post harvest losses. Pdf maize is one of the most important cereal crops in ghana. Dr bruno tran, an expert in post harvest losses at the african post harvest losses information system aphlis, said that ghana lost 318,514 tonnes of maize annually and about 20 to 50 per cent of all vegetables, fruits, roots and tubers. The gpt observed current grain handling and pest management tactics, storedproduct insect activity, drying systems and post harvest grain losses in onfarm storages and small, medium and largescale storage warehouses in ghana.
Mud silo promotion in northern ghana annex 2, project. Estimated postharvest loss for maize in three african. Ahaji alhassan who stated this during the first upper west regional postharvest loss forum in wa, said these measures were expected to eliminate constraints in addressing postharvest losses in ghana as well as unleash the needed impetus to ensure that agriculture became the game changer in the development of the region. Nov 10, 2017 mr akai, who made a presentation on postharvest losses in the region, the realities, challenges, and government policies, programmes and plans in managing postharvest losses in the country, advised research institutions to take farmers practice and modernize it to suit their practice to enable them to adopt it. Field test report on the estimation of crop yields and. A report on assessment of maize postharvest losses in the. Identification of appropriate postharvest technologies for small. The case of postharvest grain losses in subsaharan africa. Rebecca enonchong on doing business as a tech startup in frenchspeaking africa.
A report on assessment of maize postharvest losses in northern ghana december 819, 2014 a summary report prepared by g. Food insufficiency resulting from post harvest losses affect most communities in ghana and the annual impact leads to poor diet and. Postharvest loss phl refers to measurable quality and quantity loss of food in the. A major constraint militating against food security is loss of harvested produce. Technical paper on post harvest losses acfjanuary 2014 page 5 weight losses in traditional postharvest chain crop weight losses in mechanized postharvest chain fig. Estimation of postharvest losses of rice oriza sativa from harvesting to milling was carried out in ejisu juabeng district of ghana to provide basic information important regarding the losses. Postharvest losses create poverty and food insecurity. Cassava, a staple crop critical to food security in. Selected postharvest loss interventions in africa 1 across africa, fruits and vegetables feature the highest rate of losses as a proportion of productionapproximately 50%. Post harvest losses of rice from harvesting to milling in ghana appiah f 1, guisse r 1 and dartey p.
In dealing with the domain, terminology has been a. Aug 22, 2017 more than half of the food crops produced in ghana do not make it to the final consumer due to post harvest loss phl, the peasant farmers association of ghana pfag has said. Effect of postharvest losses on rice farmers income in sub. Ghana based sesi technologies provides simple and affordable solutions for the agricultural sector. Field test report on the estimation of crop yields and post. Why have farmers tolerated such losses, and why has the international community not acted more. Global food security response and feed the future initiatives, usaids postharvest handling and storage phhs project. Policy research working uganda 200910 tanzania 201011 malawi 201011 paper 6831, world bank, washington, dc. Half of food crops lost to post harvest graphic online. Losses incurred as a result of inadequate product handling, lack of access to postharvest machineries and methods, poor storage and improper distributions thmethods result in diminished. The losses were mostly caused by pests and diseases and poor handling. The postharvest sector includes all points in the value chain from production in the field to the food being placed on a plate for consumption.
The causes of post harvest losses, which some estimates suggest could range from 15 to as high as 50 percent of what is produced. Post harvest handling postharvest management practices that reduce product loss to spoilage or shrinkage will reduce microbial risks. It was confirmed that postharvest losses was a major problem experienced by vegetable crop farmers and traders. According to the fao, 30% of food is lost or wasted along the supply chain every year. Oct 21, 2017 post harvest losses create poverty and food insecurity. The first international congress on postharvest loss prevention, oct 47, 2015, rome, italy the first international congress on postharvest loss prevention dear readers, we are happy to publish the proceedings of the first international congress on postharvest loss prevention. Consequently, even though the weight losses postharvest for roots and tubers and fruits and vegetables are substantially higher than those of cereals 54 and 66 percent respectively compared with 20. Pdf an overview of postharvest losses in tomato production.
Mean estimates of phl for grains in ghana, % of total production. Reducing postharvest losses phl is a key pathway to food and nutrition security in subsaharan africa. A report on assessment of maize postharvest losses in. Kwabena adugyamfi, managing directorrefer to biosketches of the referenced individuals in appendix a.
For postharvest handling and storage loss only, the fao estimate is 8 percent, and the african postharvest losses. More than half of the food crops produced in ghana do not make it to the final consumer due to postharvest loss phl, the peasant farmers association of. Losses of horticultural produce are therefore a major problem in the postharvest chain. Perspectives to reducing postharvest losses of agricultural. How serious is the problem of postharvest losses in africa.
Postharvest activities include harvesting, handling, storage, processing, packaging, transportation and marketing losses of horticultural produce are a major problem in the postharvest chain. A 2 1department of horticulture, kwame nkrumah university of science and technology, kumasi, ghana. This study sought to identify and analyze the determinants of postharvest losses within the tomato value chain, key players, their roles in the preharvest, harvest and postharvest handling of tomato at farmer level unit operations across 46. A product that reduces post harvest losses in ghana.
It provides a wide variety of nutrients and many healthrelated benefits to the human body. Why reducing postharvest losses is a priority for africa. Ghana, kenya, malawi, mozambique, zambia, tanzania, burkina faso, nigeria, uganda, ethiopia and mali. The team observed current grain handling and pest management tactics, storedproduct insect activity, drying systems, and post harvest grain losses in onfarm storages and small, medium, and largescale storage warehouses in ghana. Although the pics bag was designed for the storage of cowpeas, studies in northern ghana have shown that it could be used for storing welldried cereal grains, he says. Nov 18, 2017 ahaji alhassan who stated this during the first upper west regional post harvest loss forum in wa, said these measures were expected to eliminate constraints in addressing post harvest losses in ghana as well as unleash the needed impetus to ensure that agriculture became the game changer in the development of the region. Postharvest management in ghana, like in most developing countries of the region, is grossly unsatisfactory. Net that pics could also help prevent postharvest losses of other crops. During the first year, the ghana project team will assess current grain handling and pest management tactics, storedproduct insect activity and postharvest grain losses in small. Establishing the status of postharvest losses and storage for major staple crops in eleven african countries phase ii final report march 2014. We challenge you to join hands with dutch companies and find the best innovative solutions for your post harvest losses. Sanni 1999 observed a total neglect of the postharvest system in the country, while, ukohaviomoh et al. Dr bruno tran, an expert in postharvest losses at the african post harvest losses information system aphlis, said that ghana lost 318,514 tonnes of maize annually and about 20 to 50 per cent of all vegetables, fruits, roots and tubers. In the literature, the domain is mostly referred to as postharvest food losses, post harvest food losses, or postharvest food losses.
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