Postharvest Losses in Ethiopia and Opportunities for Reduction: A Review
Keywords:
Abiotic, Agents, Biotic, Factors, Losses, Postharvest, Remedies.Abstract
Agriculture is important for addressing food security problems in Ethiopia. Stimulating agricultural growth will therefore be the major instrument for increasing the income of the country in general and households in particular. Agriculture contributes to overcome the food security problem through growth that distributes its benefits as widely as possible and through food production increases by the rural poor. In order to help and to address the problem of small scale agriculture towards development into a modern production sector, strengthening the postharvest sector or system is essential. Estimates suggest that the magnitude of postharvest loss in Ethiopia was found tremendous for different cereal grains that can go as high as 30 to 50 percent. It is important to understand that postharvest losses in both quality and quantity since it is related to lost income and /or value of commodities produced and hence part of measure and primary concern to bring a food secured nations through modern agricultural production. Postharvest quantity and quality loss of cereal grains in developing countries appears to be initiated mostly at farm-level, so the potential remedies for the problem are needed at the same level. This review of postharvest cereal grains postharvest losses, contributing factors and possible mitigation remedies has been prepared focusing on Ethiopia situation that has cereal production potential and multiple suitable agro-climates. These are useful in quantifying the national magnitude of losses, the prevailing loss agents and relate the same to food security in the country. In a country where production is much lower than the national demand and is characterized by the level of post-harvest loss stated above, a great effort is needed in the area of generating technology that minimizes this loss.
This could be in the form of technologies, which inhibit the growth of pests and provide proper storage facilities, appropriate packaging materials and transportation facilities required to minimize losses and increase the shelf life of the food grains. A remedial suggestion on suitable approaches to loss reduction in postharvest handling of cereal grains was reviewed.
References
Shimelis, A. 2001. Post-harvest sector challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Addis Ababa.
Dubale, B. 2011. Management Practices and Quality of Maize Stored in Two Traditional Storage Containers (Gombisa and Sacks) in Selected Districts of Jimma. M.Sc. Thesis, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia.
Office of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Textile Trade Affairs (OABTTA). 2013. Postharvest Loss Challenges. Discussion Paper, Bureau of Economics and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Pp 1-3.
Lipinski, B., Hanson, C., Lomax, J., Kitinoja, L., Waite, R., & Searchinger, T. 2013. Reducing food loss and Waste: Working paper, installment 2 of creating a sustainable food future. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute. http://www. worldresourcesreport.org.
Kumar, D., & Kalita, P. 2017. Reducing postharvest losses during storage of grain crops to strengthen food security in developing countries. Foods, 6(1), 8. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.3390/foods6010008.
Goletti, F., Samman E., 2002. Post-harvest systems in world agriculture. In: Crop Post-harvest: Science and Technology Volume 1 Principles and Practice. Eds. Golob P., Farrell G. and Orchard J.E. Blackwell Sciences Ltd, Oxford, UK, pp. 1-34.
Boxall, R. 1998. Grains post-harvest loss assessment in Ethiopia: Final report. [Working Paper]. Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, UK.
Hodges, R., Bernard, M. and Rembold, F. 2014. APHLIS – Postharvest cereal losses in Sub-Saharan Africa, their estimation, assessment and reduction. JRC Technical Report. Ispra (VA), Italy.
Hodges, R.J. 2012. Postharvest quality Losses of Cereal Grains in Sub-Saharan Africa. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). 2013. Establishing the status of post-harvest losses and storage for major staple crops in eleven African countries (Phase I). AGRA: Nairobi, Kenya
Abebe, H.G. and Bekele, H. 2006. Farmers' post-harvest grain management choices under liquidity constraints and impending risks: Implications for achieving food security objectives in Ethiopia. Poster Paper Presented at International Association of Agricultural Economists Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, August 12-8.
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), 2009. Post-harvest losses and management of crops. http://www.un.org. Accessed on 12/15/2009.
FAO Statistical Division 2012. http://faostat.fao.org
Eticha, F., & Tadesse, A. (1999). Effects of some botanicals and other materials against the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motsch.) on stored maize.
Dubale, B. 2014. Factors Affecting Quality of Grain Stored in Ethiopian Traditional Storage Structures and Opportunities for Improvement. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 18(1), pp 235-257.
Hodges, R.J. and Stathers, T.E. 2012. Training manual for improving grain postharvest handling and storage. UN World Food Programme (Rome, Italy) and Natural Resources Institute (UK, pp. 246.
Hodges, R.J., 2002. Biological factors in post-harvest quality: Pests of durable crops – insect and arachnids. In: Golob, P., Farrell, G., Orchard, J.E. (Eds) Crop Post-Harvest: Science and Technology, Volume 1 Principles and Practice. Blackwell Science. 94-111.
Meyer A.N., Belmain. S.R. 2002. Biological factors in post-harvest quality: pest of durable crops vertebrates. In: Golob, P., Farrell, G., Orchard, J.E. (Eds) Crop Post-Harvest: Science and Technology, Volume 1 Principles and Practice. Blackwell Science. 112-119.
Emana, G. and A. Tsedeke, 1999. Management of maize stem borer using sowing date at Arsi-Negele. Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia, 3: 47-51.
Dubale, B., S. Waktole, A., Solomon, B., Geremew and M.R., Sethu. 2012. Influence of Agro-ecologies, Traditional Storage Containers and Major Insect Pests on Stored Maize (Zea mays L.) in selected Woredas of Jimma Zone. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences. 11(5): 226-234.
Kent, J., B., Peetambar, D., Johan, V., Asbrouckb, K., Kunusothc, P., Belloa, J., Thompsond and F., Wue. 2018. The dry chain: Reducing postharvest losses and improving food safety in humid climates. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 71: 84–93.
Tilahun, S. ‘’Grain based Ethiopian traditional common foods processing science and technology’’. In Training module for center of research on grain quality, processing and technology transfer, Haramaya University, Ethiopia, 2007.
Golob, P., 2007. On-farm mycotoxin control in food and feed grain. Training manual, Good Practices for Animal Feed and Livestock 1. UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome, Italy, pp. 27.
Dubale, B., A., Solomon, S. Waktole B., Geremew and M.R., Sethu. 2014. Mycoflora of Grain Maize (Zea Mays L.) Stored in Traditional Storage Containers (Gombisa And Sacks) In Selected Woredas of Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 14(2): 8676-8694.
Fekadu, L. ‘’Fundamentals science and technology of food grain drying, cleaning and storage practices’’. In Training module for center of research on grain quality, processing and technology transfer, Haramaya University, Ethiopia, 2007.
Tadesse, A., F, Eticha., C, Adler., and M., Schoeller. 2000. Insect pests of farm-stored maize and their management practices in Ethiopia. IOBC WPRS Bulletin, 23(10), 47-58.
Dou, Z., Ferguson, J. D., Galligan, D. T., Kelly, A. M., Finn, S. M., & Giegengack, R. (Eds.). 2016. Foodwasteacrossthesupplychain. AU.S. Perspectiveonaglobalproblem.Ames, Iowa: Council for Agricultural Science and Technology.
Mrema, G. C. & Rolle, R. S. Status of the postharvest sector and its contribution to agricultural development and economic growth. 9th JIRCAS International Symposium, 2002. 13-20.
Tesfaye, S. 2015. Assessment of Postharvest loss for perishable produces from Wholesalers to consumers. Master’s thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.
Kitinoja, L. and Gorny, J. R. 1999. Postharvest Technology for Small-Scale Produce Marketers: Economic Opportunities, Quality and Food Safety. Postharvest Horticulture Series, Department of Pomology, University of California.
Goletti, F. 2002. Current status and future challenges for the postharvest sector in developing countries. XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Postharvest Horticulture 628, 41-48.
Kader, A. A. 2003. A perspective on postharvest horticulture (1978-2003). Horticulture Science, 38, 1004-1008.
Hodges, R. J., Buzby, J. C. and B., Bennett. 2011. Postharvest losses and waste in developed and less developed countries: opportunities to improve resource use. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 149, 37-45.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who submit papers with this journal agree to the following terms.
