Strategies to Improve the Adoption of Postharvest Handling and Agro-Processing Technologies in Africa

Abstract

Some marked increases in crop production were recorded in recent years because of the adoption of improved varieties and growing techniques, however, the pay-off after harvest is still insignificant. This is because of costly losses, high labor requirements, inappropriate facilities and poor product quality resulting in poor harvesting and handling systems. Little work on value addition is done and processing is limited to traditional products. Information on improved techniques is not known to many stakeholders. Improving the postharvest system stimulates crop production, facilitates processing and marketing of produce, creates opportunities for developing agro-processing enterprises for the production of value-added products to enhance their competitiveness in the market. Developing the agro-processing enterprise involves multiple partners from development institutions, the agricultural and industrial sectors. However, these sectors are still weakly linked as seen in the gap of information and technology flow among farmers, processors, technology designers, machine suppliers and other service providers.