FIELD REPORT: SUCCESS IN MALAWI

Farmers responded positively to the recently concluded World Food Programme-led P4P postharvest workshops in Malawi according to an official field report by Alex Chigovera, Technical Support Engineer of GrainPro. The report was collected from the post-training surveys that the participants completed.

More than 70 percent of the 114 participants indicated that they gained important knowledge that would be very useful in reducing food deterioration during storage. Facilitation quality was evaluated by participants with more than 75 percent of them giving it excellent ratings across the three locations. The participants are expected to share their training at their respective communities.

The workshops were organized in partnership with GrainPro and its partner in Malawi, Chemicals and Marketing. The 114 participants, 33 of which were women farmers, represented 54 farming groups from the regions of Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu. In Malawi, women smallholder farmers play an important in food production.

The farmers were taught postharvest management principles and practices, knowledge of seed preservation using hermetic storage, and recommended methods for safe long-term grain preservation without using harmful chemicals. To better demonstrate the principles of hermetic storage, the farmers had hands-on training using the SuperGrainbag – a lightweight hermetic liner bag for dry agricultural commodities such as food grains. 

Due to its significance to the safe preservation of locally produced dry agricultural commodities, future workshops to include more women farmers are being proposed. There is also a need for refresher workshops to facilitate the continuous sharing of new technologies to farmers. This ensures that smallholder farmers are kept abreast with best practices in food preservation and pest control.

INDIA TO SUPPORT HERMETIC STORAGE

The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) is strongly pushing the use of hermetic technology as a permanent solution against food losses in India. IIFPT is studying multilayered bags, Cocoon storage, and on-bulk grain silos.

Improper storage and infestation are threats that cause postharvest losses in quantity and quality. In India, 12 to 16 million metric tons of foods produced are lost each year. Chemicals are used to fight off infestation. However, the use of chemical pesticides is affecting the environment and the health of consumers.

Hermetic technology is very appealing in many developing parts of the world as a solution because it provides a sustainable and affordable alternative. GrainPro Cocoons and SuperGrainbags, for example, do not require the use of chemicals to stop infestation and inhibit the growth of aflatoxin producing molds. 

These solutions present a long-term solution for the storage of locally produced grains and seeds such as wheat, rice, maize and high-value spices. For more information about GrainPro and its line of hermetic solutions, visit www.grainpro.com.

USING HERMETIC STORAGE TO PRESERVE PADDY SEEDS IN PANAMA.

Fincas Azuero in Panama found a way to properly store paddy seeds and retain seed germination thanks to GrainPro and its distributor Potuga. Five 100MT GrainPro® Self-Verifying Cocoons™ (SVC) are preserving 82 tons (180,000 pounds) of certified paddy seeds at their facility in Panama. Research and field trials show that Cocoons can store seeds as well as conventional cold stores. The patented SVC is an Ultra Hermetic™ storage solution for the long-term storage of bagged seeds and other agricultural commodities. It can be installed outdoors or indoors, and requires minimal cost to install and use. For more information about this product and worldwide distributors, please visit www.grainpro.com.