Post-harvest technology change in cassava processing: a choice paradigm

Open Access Article; Available online: 27 Jan 2020This study employed a choice model to examine the factors influencing the choice of post-harvest technologies in cassava starch processing, using a sample of five hundred and seventy (570) processors in the forest and guinea savanna zones of Nigeria. In addition, the profitability of various post-harvest technologies in the study area was assessed using the budgetary technique while the impact of improved post-harvest technology on processors’ revenue and output was analysed using the average treatment effect model. Sex of the processor, processing experience, income, and cost of post-harvest technology, the capacity of post-harvest technology and access to credit amongst others significantly influence the choice of post-harvest technologies. Although the use of improved post-harvest technology comes with a high cost, the net income from its use was higher than the other types of post-harvest technologies, suggesting that the use of improved techniques was more beneficial and profitable. In addition, using improved post-harvest technology had a positive and significant effect on output and income. These findings shows that investment in improved post-harvest technologies by cassava starch processors and other stakeholders would increase income, thus, improving welfare

The incidence of post-harvest problems among small farmers surveyed in three regions of the Limpopo Province

High yielding varieties and new production technology have vastly increased the world's agricultural production and provided rural incomes and affordable food for large parts of the population. While production research has received considerable attention, until recently, post harvest activities have not received much attention. Post harvest research has significant contribution towards the alleviation of poverty, food insecurity and the sustainable use of resources. The objective of the paper is to assess the post-harvest constraints affecting main staple grain crops in three regions of the Limpopo Province. Some of the most common post harvest constraints revealed by the study are, weevils, rodents and transport for produce from the field to home Chemical, biological and indigenous control measures are used by the smallholder farmers to alleviate some of the post harvest constraints. The results of the study seem to indicate that more research work should be done especially on the use of indigenous knowledge towards the alleviation of post harvest constraints.Crop Production/Industries,

Tackling post-harvest cereal losses in sub-Saharan Africa

Post-harvest loss reduction raises food availability without increasing the use of land, water and agricultural inputs. This article refers to the case of grain to show the hurdles that farmers have to clear in taking measures to reduce losses and suggests ways that post-harvest practitioners can target mitigating actions in sub-Saharan Africa

Forecasting Crop Basis Using Historical Averages Supplemented with Current Market Information

This research compares practical methods of forecasting basis, using current market information for wheat, soybeans, corn, and milo (grain sorghum) in Kansas. Though generally not statistically superior, an historical one-year average was optimal for corn, milo, and soybean harvest and post-harvest basis forecasts. A one-year average was also best for wheat post-harvest basis forecasts, whereas a five-year average was the best method for forecasting wheat harvest basis. Incorporating current market information, defined as basis deviation from historical average, improved the accuracy of post-harvest basis forecasts. A naive forecast incorporating current information was often the most accurate for post-harvest basis forecasts.basis forecast, crop basis, current information, naive forecast, Marketing,

Seasonality and determinants of child growth velocity and growth deficit in rural southwest Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopia faces cyclic food insecurity that alternates between pre- and post-harvest seasons. Whether seasonal variation in access to food is associated with child growth has not been assessed empirically. Understanding seasonality of child growth velocity and growth deficit helps to improve efforts to track population interventions against malnutrition. The aim of this study was assess child growth velocity, growth deficit, and their determinants in rural southwest Ethiopia. Method: Data were obtained from four rounds of a longitudinal household survey conducted in ten districts in Oromiya Region and Southern Nations, Nationality and Peoples Region of Ethiopia, in which 1200 households were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Households with a child under 5 years were included in the present analyses (round 1 n = 579, round 2 n = 674, round 3 n = 674 and round 4 n = 680). The hierarchical nature of the data was taken into account during the statistical analyses by fitting a linear mixed effects model. A restricted maximum likelihood estimation method was employed in the analyses. Result: Compared to the post-harvest season, a higher length and weight velocity were observed in pre-harvest season with an average difference of 6.4 cm/year and 0.6 kg/year compared to the post-harvest season. The mean height of children in post-harvest seasons was 5.7 cm below the WHO median reference height. The mean height of children increased an additional 3.3 cm [95% CI (2.94, 3.73)] per year in pre-harvest season compared to the post-harvest season. Similarly, the mean weight of children increased 1.0 kg [95% CI (0.91, 1.11)] per year more in the pre-harvest season compared to the post-harvest season. Children who had a low dietary diversity and were born during the lean season in both seasons had a higher linear growth deficit. Being member of a highly food insecure household was negatively associated with higher weight gain. Having experienced no illness during the previous 2 weeks was positively associated with linear growth and weight gain. Conclusion: Child growth velocities and child growth deficits were higher in the pre-harvest season and post-harvest season respectively. Low dietary diversity and being part of a highly food insecure household were significantly risk factors for decreased linear growth and weight gain respectively

Post-harvest development of anthracnose in pepper (Capsicum spp): etiology and management strategies

Chilli anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp, is one of the main causes for post-harvest decay of chilli. It can develop on the field, during long distant transport, cold storage and shelf-life. In conventional agriculture, the whole plant including the fruits, are sprayed with fungicides as a prerequisite for post-harvest control of chilli anthracnose. Due to consumer concerns regarding the use of synthetic fungicides and the demand for safer storage methods, the use of synthetic fungicides is no longer allowed for the post-harvest control of chilli anthracnose. As a result, studies on alternative methods to control post-harvest decay have been developed over the years along with the demand for safer storage methods. In this review, results published within the last decade have been summarized and alternative approaches to synthetic fungicides for post-harvest control of chilli anthracnose were discussed in detail. Overall, the use of natural antimicrobials, biocontrol agents, resistant cultivars and ozone shows promise as treatments that can be adopted on a commercial scale to control post-harvest chilli anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species

Post-harvest technology

In recent years great interest is envinced in several countries in the culture of molluscan shellfish. In the tropics favourable conditions exist for rapid growth and marketable oysters are obtained with in vir^n to twelve months. Investigations have been conducted at the Central Marine Fisheries Research institute and success has been achieved in perfecting the techniques of oyster culture in coastal waters (Nayar and Mahadevan, 1983). The awareness that shellfish have to be purified and rendered harmless goes back to the time of the Roman Empire. During the first century B.C. the Romans consumed cockles and oysters after treating them in tanks known as cockle washery (Yonge, 1962)

Post Harvest Losses, Marketing Pattern and Constraints of Chick pea in Northern Hills of Chhattisgarh

The study to examine the post harvest losses and marketing pattern of chick pea has been done in Jaspur district of Northern hills of Chhattisgarh state. The study was undertaken by taking 60 sample farms during the year 2016-17. Formal survey method was used to collect required information from sample area. The objectives were achieved by using exponential function, regression and perception analyses. The overall post harvest loses at farm level was estimated to be 6.06 kg/quintal and 38.21 kg/hectare and maximum losses found during drying (36.93 %) followed by storage (35.61%) and harvesting of chick pea (09.81%) to the total losses. Total post-harvest losses at farms level was found to be the maximum in large farms being 7.02 kg. The marketable surplus in chick pea at marginal, small, medium, large and overall farms were 1.81, 2.62, 4.43, 18.27 and 4.17 quintal per farm constituting 67.79, 70.37, 73.46, 77.87 and 71.41 per cent to their total production respectively. The overall quantity of chick pea sold by producer was 2.07 (49.65%), 1.19 (28.47%) and 0.91 (21.88%) direct to consumer, village trader and wholesaler respectively. In post harvest losses unavailability of capital (80%) ranks first among all constraints and in marketing of chick pea lack of cheap transportation facility (95%) was the major constraint. It is suggested that there is a need to smoothening the process of farmer credit by financial agencies in the study area for minimizing post harvest losses. Also availability of cheap transportation facility will help to strengthen the marketing channel of the study area