EDITORIAL: Rollout post-harvest training for food security, higher incomes

A group of farmers have undergone training in post-harvest management; meaning they have been equipped with basic knowledge on how to safeguard fruits of their labour from wasting away. It is estimated that 30 percent of farm produce is lost during the period between harvesting and the time it is either consumed or sold for income by a farmer. That, for example, means that for every 100kgs of maize, beans or rice harvested, at least 30kgs are lost either when being transported from the farm to the stores or during storage. This is certainly a huge loss, by any standards. Simply put, such a loss reduces the amount of food available for consumption and for sale by a similar percentage—hence food insecurity and income poverty among rural farmers. Such training is therefore not only timely, but an important intervention as it addresses a big challenge in the agricultural production chain. Post-harvest losses will normally occur due to poor transport and storage facilities; lack of basic information on how to preserve produce for a longer time etc. For example, not knowing how to dry maize, rice, millet, ground nuts or beans to the right moisture content before storing can result in huge losses in a short time. Those two or three rodents in the grain store can also cause huge losses; and a leak on the roof can equally waste away a whole harvest. It is therefore important to rollout post-harvest training to all farmers and save the country millions of francs lost to poor handling and storage of farm produce. So, why is it important to reduce post-harvest losses? It simply means more income to farmers and a food security.

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EDITORIAL: Rollout post-harvest training for food security, higher incomes