National Food Reserve Agency seeks to adopt AGRA supported grain storage technology
Dodoma:
The initial results of testing of new grain storage technology by the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) in Dodoma has proved a success, which could pave way for mass adoptions in future.
On Thursday, nearly 100 representatives from farmer organizations gathered at NFRA site in Dodoma to inspect the initial results of the technologies.
“This is our first time using this technology, and we are impressed by the initial results,” said NFRA Operations Manager Nicodemus Massao. However, he made it that before NFRA could go for full utilization of the technology, more tests would be done.
“We need to see how this technology operates, how it works, how effective it is in controlling insects and the impact on the quality of the maize after it is stored,” he said.
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) working with agriculture stakeholders in Tanzania is testing the suitability of a number of storage technologies, from PICS (Purdue Improved Cowpeas) bags to metal silos and hematic cocoons, in helping farmers tackle post-harvest losses.
With the support of AGRA, NFRA started by trialing two cocoons, a 525 metric ton (mt) cocoon at Songera and a 150MT cocoon at Dodomoa.
When AGRA initially launched in the project in Ibumila, in the Southern Highlands, the focus was on working with farmers to ease their storage challenges.
But as the project has progressed, the NFRA has seen the opportunities the technologies, particularly the cocoon, offer in helping to solve its own storage challenges.
The agency is now planning on further trials and is working to procure 100 of the 525mt cocoon for testing across a number of sites in different regions.
Research shows farmers in Tanzania can lose up to 40 per cent of their harvest due to post harvest loses, with most losses caused by insects, rodents, losses during transport and improper drying.
Deputy Head of Program and P4P coordinator with the World Food Program, Marina Negroponte, says tackling post-harvest storage challenges offers significant opportunities to boost farmer profitability.
“You can the highest quality maize or beans, but if you can’t store it, you’re going to lose it, or you’re going to sell it really cheaply.
“[Considering] costs of production farmers aren’t going to make any margins because they are trying to invest in seeds, labor, cleaning and all that has costs and if they can only sell a little bit above the production costs, in fact some of them lose money, and the majority of it is probably post-harvest,” Ms Negroponte said.
AGRA Country Manager in Tanzania, Dr Mary Mgonja, says the knowledge gained from the project will be valuable for the government, donors and other agencies with an interest in reducing post-harvest losses in Tanzania.
“The technologies we are testing aren’t new; they are proven to be effective in helping to store grain in many other parts of the world.
“The knowledge we are learning here has the potential to answer a lot of questions and help tackle the new challenge farmers are facing, post-harvest losses,” Dr Mgonja concluded.
The project is funded by AGRA with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.
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