Effectiveness Of Selected Food Storage Technologies In Reduction Of Post-Harvest Losses Of Beans In Selected Households Of Kilosa District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Cereal grain losses are high in sub-Saharan Africa countries, Tanzania inclusive. Information on protection of these losses is mainly reported for maize and other cereals but it is limited on bean, particularly for Kilosa district. This study was carried in Kilosa district, where by two wards (Malolo and Lumuma) were used to establish effective storage technology for bean storage and measure the level of understanding on postharvest management. To measure effectiveness storage technology, different factors were put into consideration, e.g., ability to maintain storage moisture content of bean, ability to reduce bean damage by weevil (bruchids), price, availability and challenges on the use of particular technology. Beans from 20 farmers were kept in three different storage technologies mainly; Metal Silo, Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) and Polypropylene bag (polypropylene bag), and stored for six months. Household survey data showed that there was little knowledge and limited awareness of the community regarding post-harvest management and the mycotoxin problem. The mean percentage bean damage were 23.6, 15.2 and 6.4% for polypropylene bag, silo and PICS, respectively. Overall results showed that PICS was the most effective in terms of beans damage reduction, price affordability and availability. During storage there were some few observations like weakness of PICS bag that made bruchids able to make holes on the two layers of polyethylene and facilitate air entrance. None had received any formal or informal training on postharvest management. The study recommends post-harvest management training of agricultural extensions officers who after the training disseminated the knowledge to farmers. Extension of the hermetic storage technology to beans seems essential. For metal silo technology to be widely adopted subsidy looks necessary to reduce its price