Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Post-harvest loss of cereal grains in Ghana due to poor pre-harvest and post-harvest handling and storage
is 30-40% (Ghana METASIP). This negatively impacts grain volumes and quality and ultimately results
in higher prices for good quality grain as well as the importation of grain to meet the shortfalls. In Ghana,
the major factors for losses in maize and soy include poor timing of harvest, lack of suitable harvesting
and shelling equipment for ear corn and soybean pods, poor handling of harvested crops, lack of drying to
safe storage moisture content, insect pest infestation, aflatoxin contamination, inadequate grain storage
facilities, and poor storage management practices on farms and at aggregation centers.
Kansas State University through its USAID-funded Feed the Future Innovation Lab for the Reduction of
Post-Harvest Loss (PHL) is conducting several projects in Ghana aimed at enhancing techniques to
reduce post-harvest loss of maize and aid in its aggregation and transport to storage warehouses and feed
processors. In the Middle Belt, Pens Food Bank Enterprise (PFB) estimates major season PHL of maize
due to field losses (over-maturity, harvesting, heaping), shelling or threshing, drying, storage losses
(molds), and storage losses (insects) at 5, 1.5, 0.5, 15, and 8%, respectively (a total of 30% loss). During
the minor season, these losses are estimated at 6, 1, 0.2, 2, and 10%, respectively (a total of 19.2% loss).
Losses in Nothern Ghana are similar to those in the Middle Belt during the minor season. According to
the association of post-harvest service providers in the Upper West Region of Northern Ghana, which
comprises 18 service providers, lack of suitable soybean pod shelling equipment contributes to losses of
30-40%. The referenced soybean losses represent nearly all PHL experienced because soybean at the
correct moisture content (10-13%) stores extremely well, i.e., with minimal storage losses.
Dr. Sam McNeill will travel to Ghana as an instructor for this project.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 10/1/15 → 9/30/19 |
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