To cope with increasing food demand, governments have traditionally emphasized increasing food production; however, reducing food losses along the food value chain has not been adequately addressed. Yet significant proportions of food produced are lost to spoilage and insect infestation during and after harvest. Postharvest losses in most of sub-Saharan Africa can reach up to 25% of harvested grains, with a value estimated at over US$ 2 billion annually. Investing in reducing post-harvest losses has the potential to save household food reserves that would otherwise be lost. Besides, qualitative losses also occur and imply that the full nutritional value is not delivered. This is particularly important for the HIV/AIDS affected population. Lack of adequate awareness and access to appropriate storage technologies also make farmers sell their maize soon after the harvest, only to buy maize back at a higher price later in the season, resulting in a continual poverty trap. 

Post-harvest losses are now being recognised as a major problem by all major stakeholders such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Development Bank and FAO, since they have repercussions on hunger, poverty alleviation, income generation and economic growth. 

In the SADC region though, the policy and institutional environment varies from country to country, and is often not conducive to allow effective coordinated responses and encourage the private sector to invest in sustainable post-harvest solutions 

With its vast experience in metal silo technology for smallholder grain storage gained through the POSTCOSECHA programme implemented in South America, SDC can significantly contribute to addressing grain storage loss issues in Southern Africa.

Post-harvest grain losses are reduced, and the food security and incomes of targeted farmers’ households are improved in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya through informed policy, capacity building and improved appropriate storage technology.

• For metal silos: 16,000 small holder farmers, , tinsmiths, extension officers, NGOs, grain retailers, school feeding programmes (in four countries).

• For post harvest hermetically sealed bags: 24,000 smallholder and food insecure farrmers (in four countries). 

SADC and national agriculture policymakers for enhancing postharvest policies.

• Targeted farmers increase their uptake of the  metal silo technology for grain storage, building on the lessons learnt in Phase 1;

• Post-harvest policies in Southern Africa are conducive and harmonised in the long term;

• Poor farmers, esp. women, use alternative improved storage technologies to store grain crops.

Expected results:  

Resource-poor farmers are less poor and more food-secure through  effective grain storage policies and technologies in Southern Africa.

Results from previous phases:  

Phase 1 showed that the metal silo technology is effective in combating grain losses at the storage stage but remains quite expensive for poor farmers. Policy changes and incentives are required to provide an enabling environment for increased adoption rates of this technology. In addition, cheaper technologies should be made available to poorer farmers, women in particular, so that they too can extend the storage period of their harvest by a few months. Sharing experiences at the regional level, with the view to having an harmonised system for all SADC countries, could enhance national dialogues with all the respective stakeholders and enable the required policy changes.

CIMMYT in partnership with local partners (e.g. ministry of agriculture, hermetic bag supplying companies, etc.)

Phase 2 01.04.2012 - 31.03.2016   (Completed)