Alliance for Food Security Through Reduction of Postharvest Loss and Food Waste

The assessment trips during year 1 will build on knowledge available to reduce post-harvest losses of primary grains used for human consumption in Ghana, which will stretch the quantity and quality of their food supply. Dr. McNeill will travel to and throughout Ghana once during the wet season and once during the dry season to accumulate information. This new information will be shared in public meetings during years 4 and 5 through the extension service in Ghana to all players in the value chain, from the farmer/producer, grain buyer/aggregator, food/feed mill operator, processor and housewife/food preparer in the home. Investigators of this project will include scientists from the US and Ghana, who will collaborate to plan, prepare, and deliver the program content for these meetings. Subjects will include proper harvesting, handling, drying, cleaning, inspection and storage methods for grains (DICE); the proper temperature and moisture control of grain to maintain quality after harvest; insect identification, monitoring, and control during handling and storage; integrated pest management (IPM) techniques; and safe handling and preparation practices. The workshops will be structured in a conversation style to facilitate open discussions during teaching lessons and will follow with practical hands-on exercises to reinforce the learning experience. Teaching materials, posters and brochures will be shared with the audience to provide them with easy to use references following the workshops. UKY/Dr. McNeill will work on a team of three scientists from the US and will partner with our counterparts in Ghana to conduct two workshops in years 4 and 5 of this project. The first workshop will be held in Northern Ghana (Tamale), with Dr. Nutsugah and other scientists from the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute. The second workshop will be held in the Middle Belt (Kumasi) with Dr. Stella Ennin and other scientists from the Crop Research Institute and Mr. Joseph Akowuah, post-harvest agricultural engineer from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. This collaboration will promote long-lasting relationships that can be built upon to sustain educational efforts to reduce post-harvest losses of grains through distance learning methods and will reduce travel costs from the US and in-country. Local scientists will be compensated at a rate equal to per diem and will provide their own transportation to and from the meeting venue.