Efforts to Combat Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Kansas City, Missouri — Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are actively seeking to diminish food insecurity by enhancing post-harvest management practices. These initiatives aim to ensure sufficient food supplies and bolster the resilience of smallholder farmers against agricultural challenges such as climate change and volatile commodity prices.
The United Nations World Food Program reports alarming increases in food insecurity across the region, with West Africa seeing a 21% rise and East Africa experiencing a 17% increase in the past year. This trend has sparked concerns among stakeholders in both public and private sectors regarding the slow adoption of sustainable practices necessary for boosting food production and enhancing post-harvest management.
With a population nearing 1.3 billion and food demand anticipated to triple by 2050, SSA faces significant challenges in post-harvest loss, particularly in cereal production. These losses hinder regional food security and negatively impact the incomes of smallholder farmers. Current estimates indicate that post-harvest losses in SSA exceed 30% of total yields, primarily attributed to inadequate storage infrastructure, outdated technology, and insufficient farmer knowledge on managing post-harvest losses.
Governments have pledged to move away from conventional storage methods—often reliant on standard bags and silos—which are prone to pest infestations and spoilage. The African Green Revolution Alliance (AGRA), a partnership dedicated to supporting smallholder farmers, estimates that total food losses in sub-Saharan Africa amount to around $4 billion annually, sufficient to feed 48 million people. These losses highlight both an economic and ecological failure, as they reduce farmer incomes and food availability while wasting critical resources such as water, land, and fertilizers.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that SSA experiences annual food losses of 23% from harvest to retail, significantly exceeding the global average of 13.3%. In response, several SSA governments are collaborating with the private sector to invest in modern post-harvest management policies and technologies to mitigate these losses. Strategies include supporting the production and distribution of innovative storage solutions, such as the Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bag developed at Purdue University.
The PICS bag consists of three layers, with the inner layers made from high-density polyethylene and the outer layer from woven polypropylene. This multi-layer design helps modify the storage environment and limits gas exchange, thus preserving the quality of stored grain for up to two years. According to the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the technology regulates moisture levels, minimizing fungal growth and preventing the accumulation of harmful mycotoxins.
Despite the promising nature of these technologies, several barriers hinder their widespread implementation. Low awareness levels among farmers, coupled with affordability issues and government reluctance to eliminate taxes on such technologies, pose challenges. In countries like Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya, government initiatives aim to promote sealed storage bags, yet tax-related obstacles remain a significant hurdle.
Pursuing Sustainable Storage Solutions
Tanzania, which suffers annual post-harvest losses of around 20%, is taking proactive measures, including financial incentives to boost the adoption of closed storage technologies. The National Post-Harvest Management Strategy (2019-2029) highlights the importance of sustainable grain storage techniques, particularly hermetic solutions, in enhancing food security and increasing household incomes.
With average annual maize production estimated at 6.4 million tonnes, the country loses approximately 1.3 million tonnes, costing around $275 million—an amount exceeding the entire agriculture sector budget for the fiscal year 2021-22. Furthermore, the East African Grains Council (EAGC) reports that these losses impact efforts to combat hunger, hamper export potential, and diminish farmer revenues.
In partnership with AGRA and other stakeholders, the EAGC is striving to promote closed storage technologies across East Africa. A notable advancement entails the adoption of a standardized sealed storage bag specification, EAS 985-1:2020. The EAGC’s research indicates that tax exemptions, particularly from value-added tax (VAT), could generate significant economic benefits for grain industry participants by facilitating the increased usage of sealed storage bags.
In countries where VAT rates are as high as 18%, like Kenya and Uganda, the cost of hermetic storage solutions remains prohibitively high for most users. The average price of an airtight bag is about $2.50—five times the cost of conventional solutions—thus stalling the widespread adoption of this critical technology.
In Zambia, farmers face post-harvest losses ranging from 30% to 40% primarily due to subpar storage and limited access to suitable technologies. Collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Agriculture and international organizations are underway to enhance the use of PICS bags, enabling smallholder maize producers to secure higher market prices for their grain.
Potential for Reduction of Food Losses
Experts believe that while post-harvest food losses in SSA are considerable, significant reductions are possible through expanded implementation of technologies like the PICS bag. Initiatives such as the Malabo-Montpellier Panel emphasize the benefits of improving market access and reducing food dependency through effective storage solutions. By minimizing market surpluses and fostering favorable pricing conditions, farmers could see increased income, benefiting local retailers and consumers alike.
