Assessment of Drivers of Postharvest Losses and Factors Influencing Adoption of Loss Reduction Practices Along the Mango Value Chain in Embu, Machakos and Nairobi Counties, Kenya

Abstract

Fruits and vegetable value chains form a crucial part of the food system. However, the chains have been faced with a major challenge of PHLs that has been estimated at about 40%-50%. Developing countries have been characterised by poor production and market linkages. They have also been employing traditional production and marketing systems which have not been efficient in actualising losses, their causes, as well as means to reducing them. The current study was thus conducted in Embu, Machakos, and Nairobi following a value chain perspective to estimate the level of losses, model the drivers of losses, as well as assess the factors that influence adoption of loss reduction practices. Survey data was collected from a total of 74 wholesalers, 98 retailers, and 70 farmers making use of a multistage sampling procedure. Household Interviews and trader’s checklists were used to gather data which was then analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression model and heck-Poisson model. Data was collected during the month of May, 2018, and focused on grafted mango varieties including Tommy, Apple, Vandyke, Ngowe, and Kent. The descriptive results revealed that major losses were occurring at the farm level with Embu having higher losses compared to Machakos. Loss levels were also high at retail level with major perceived reasons being low prices, poor quality from farmers (infected) and physical injuries. With regards to adoption of loss reduction practices, the actors preferred use of stick and bag as well as hand picking at the farm level, use of cartons at wholesale level, and peeling at retail level. However, actors complained of time wastage, reduced quantities, and high labour requirements as major limiting factors to adoption of low reduction practices. The regression analysis results at the farm level indicated that age, and output affected the level of PHLs negatively. Schooling, inadequate storage, ICT, and county type affected PHLs positively. At the wholesale level, age, county type, and experience had a negative effect, while purchased quantity, inadequate labour, inadequate transport, and ICT had a positive effect. Retail level results indicated a negative relation with respect to experience, and county type, while a positive influence with respect to income and purchased quantities. The Heck-Poisson model at the farm level showed that credit was a major hindrance to adoption, but there was higher adoption in Machakos than Embu. At wholesale level, actors with organised selling were more likely to adopt loss reduction practices, but PHLs reduced the likelihood of adopting multiple practices. At the retail level, diversification limited adoption of the practices, while those with higher incomes adopted multiple practices. The study concluded that PHLs was evident at all nodes of the post-harvest chain. Thus, at the farm level recommended for farmers to grow the varieties most suitable for the regions and the government should make the varieties available at low cost. At the market level where handling, storage and transportation were key causes of losses, the study recommended for adoption of loss reduction practices to ensure proper handling and improvement of fruit shelf life. KEYWORDS: Post-harvest losses, Mango value chain, post-harvest loss reduction practices, and drivers