• Farmers lack knowledge on maturity indices, proper harvesting methods and proper containers to reduce bruising
•The job should be done within the shortest time possible to avoid decay and deterioration
Horticulture farmers lose up to 50 per cent of their produce due to lack of proper storage facilities and handling know-how.
“Farmers also lack knowledge on maturity indices of the crops, proper harvesting methods, proper containers to reduce bruising, proper sheds or shades, good roads and lack of cooling facilities,” according to Dr Margaret Muchui, a post-harvest physiologist at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation.
Muchui, who is in charge of the Kalro-Practical Training Centre in Thika, said horticultural produce is highly perishable and needs to be properly grown, harvested, sorted, graded, stored and transported.
“This should be done within the shortest time possible to the end user to avoid decay and deterioration, leading to high post-harvest losses,” she told a workshop on post-harvest losses in horticulture, mainly tomatoes and bananas in Thika last weekend.
Post-harvest loss in tomatoes is 55.3 per cent and 50 per cent for bananas. Ministry of Agriculture data shows post-harvest management has been a major problem in Kenya, with an estimated loss of 20-30 per cent in cereals.
In 2017, Kenya had a maize harvest of 37 million bags. An estimated 12 per cent post-harvest loss was recorded.
In sub-Saharan Africa post-harvest loss is at 50 per cent for fruits, 40 per cent for roots and tubers and 20 per cent for cereals, legumes and pulses.
Muchai said the government has partnered with the South Korean government under the Korean-Africa Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative to reduce post-harvest losses in tomatoes, bananas and potatoes.
Ji Kim of Korea's National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science said the target is to reduce post-harvest losses in horticulture to at least 20 per cent in the next six years.
Ji said the project is being carried out in 14 African countries.
“We are just completing phase one in Kenya, where we have produced post-handling manuals in tomatoes. We are now getting into the implementing phase.”
Muchai said the tomato and banana post-handling manuals will be distributed to farmers and agriculture officials in Kiambu, Murang'a, Kirinyaga and Tigoni.