The Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) has devised various technologies aimed at reducing post-harvest losses incurred due to poor handling of horticultural produce.
The new innovations come when farmers incur post-harvest losses of horticultural produce at a rate between 30 and 40 percent.
With support from the World Bank under the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVDP), KALRO has unveiled a new post-harvest training unit at the Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) in Kandara, Murang’a.
The unit is aimed at providing farmers with valuable training on handling post-harvest produce, preserving it and extending its shelf life, helping farmers reduce post-harvest losses.
Speaking during the Annual Mkulima Open Week on Thursday at the KALRO HRI grounds, Dr. Charity Gathambiri, a post-harvest researcher at the HRI, named the zero-energy cooling unit as one of the key innovations aimed at mitigating post-harvest losses.
Gathambiri explained that the cooling unit, made from bricks and sand, works through evaporation to maintain lower internal temperatures, praising the innovation as cost-effective.
“For the zero-energy cooling unit, you make double brick walls and place sand in the middle, then keep watering the sand. When the sand is watered and covered with a material that is a poor conductor of heat, evaporation occurs, which helps maintain a cooler internal temperature compared to the outside,” explained the researcher.
She further noted that the zero-energy cooling unit technology extends the shelf life for horticultural produce like fruits and vegetables, among others for a longer period and urged farmers to adopt it.
Gathambiri further observed that many mango farmers and those in Marsabit County have successfully used locally available materials to build the cost-effective cooling units, which preserve their harvests and reduce post-harvest losses.
For those unable to afford cooling units, the researcher recommended storing harvested crops under tree shade and covering them with a wet sack as an alternative.
“Another effective solution is value addition through agro-processing. This includes the use of dryers to reduce water content in the produce,” she added.
Gathambiri noted KALRO, in partnership with the Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TIKA), has also provided various equipment for the post-harvest lab and training unit, which will play a crucial role in fruit and vegetable value addition.
The equipment, she stated, will be used for drying, processing, and ripening fruits and vegetables, enabling the production of products such as banana jam, tomato juice, plantains crisps, and natural juices.
Dried vegetables, she added, have a long shelf life and can spare a farmer from selling fresh produce at a loss.
Gahtambiri called upon farmers across the country to embrace the new post-harvest technologies so as to reduce losses of horticultural produce, further enhancing the sustainability and profitability of their produce.
On his part, Institute Director KALRO HRI Dr. Joseph Njuguna, underscored the need for proper post-harvest handling to enhance food security and improve farmers’ earnings.
Dr. Njuguna pointed out that one of the biggest challenges in horticulture farming is the perishability of the produce.
He said by adopting preservation methods like zero-energy cooling and drying, farmers can significantly cut post-harvest losses to increase the profitability of their produce.
“With these technologies, farmers no longer have to rush to sell their produce at low prices. They can store it for up to six months while waiting for a better market,” he added.
Dr. Njuguna also encouraged farmers to take advantage of the Horticulture Research Institute’s free training sessions on post-harvest management and value addition.
He underscored the Mukulima open week, saying the event is designed to educate and empower farmers by showcasing cutting-edge innovations and technologies in the horticultural sector.
The director further noted that apart from the new technologies, farmers during open week usually have a unique opportunity to receive real-time pest and disease diagnostics for their crops.
“Researchers and plant health specialists are on-site to diagnose pest and disease issues, providing instant analysis and tailored recommendations. At HRI we provide practical support to enable farmers to safeguard their crops, increase productivity, and minimise losses through timely interventions.” He averred.
By Bernard Munyao
