Department of Plant Science & Crop Protection

Poor harvest and postharvest handling activities among the farmers and other actors is considered to be one of the major causes of the high postharvest losses currently reported in horticultural crops value chains (FAO, 2014). Therefore training of the stakeholders on good harvest and postharvest handling practices is one of the proposed interventions to reduce food losses and waste in the highly perishable horticultural crops. The training of smallholder vegetable farmers in Kenya is among the USAID-funded Postharvest Component being implemented by the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) in several target countries of the Feed the Future Program in Africa and Asia. The project has as one of its objectives to train farmers and other value chain actors in improved postharvest handling, storage and transportation practices. Dr Jane Ambuko has been contracted by the AVRDC to spearhead the training activities in Kenya. In the initial phase, 5 Sub-counties have been selected for training including Homabay, Migori, Kiambu, Thika and Vihiga. The on-going training activities will be followed by field days to demonstrate low-cost postharvest technologies, mainly the low-cost cold storage options including the zero energy brick cooler and evaporative charcoal cooler.