Reducing post-harvest losses
Two of this week’s Farmer stories are about entrepreneurs who are processing their harvest. By drying mangoes and making groundnut paste, these business people are adding value and can sell their product for a higher price than the raw fruit or nut. They are also extending shelf life, as dried mangoes and groundnut paste can be stored longer. In this way, they are helping to reduce post-harvest losses.
Here are three backgrounders that address the issue of reducing post-harvest losses. Too often, crops rot in fields because of plant diseases or pests, or harvested crops rot in storehouses because they cannot be sold. When this happens, farmers lose income they were expecting to earn.
In this backgrounder, learn how to manage maize before harvest to reduce infestation and losses. You will also learn how to store maize after harvest to control infestations and manage moisture content. (This backgrounder is also available in Swahili.) http://scripts.farmradio.fm/radio-resource-packs/110-farm-radio-resource-pack/backgrounder-reducing-post-harvest-losses-maize/
In this backgrounder, learn when tomatoes are ready for harvesting, both for local and distant markets. Also, learn how to store tomatoes and organic solutions to protect maturing tomatoes. (This backgrounder is also available in Hausa.) http://scripts.farmradio.fm/radio-resource-packs/110-farm-radio-resource-pack/backgrounder-reducing-post-harvest-losses-tomatoes/
In this backgrounder, learn the right time of day to harvest mangoes to minimize the latex flow that stains fruits, causing rejection in high-end and export markets. And learn how to handle harvested mangoes to prevent injuring the fruits, and how to treat them to prevent post-harvest diseases. (This backgrounder is also available in Kenyan Swahili.) http://scripts.farmradio.fm/radio-resource-packs/109-farm-radio-resource-pack/backgrounder-reducing-post-harvest-losses-mango/