Some aspects of grain storage system in Kenya: the case of maize in Trans-Nzoia District
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to investigate the maize
storage process inTrans-Nzoia district,Western Kenya. The study
examines the various roles of environmental and biogenic factors in
maize grain loss at the farm and district levels. It also
investigates the typology at storage of the farm and district
levels. An attempt has been made to examine storage problems at
the farm and National level and possible solutions are suggested.
The study is guided by a theoretical perspective purporting
that maize grain loss is evident at all levels of grain storage,
and that these losses are preventable through appropriately
designed strategies. This geographical investigation is motivated
by the desire to understand the physio-biogenic conditions that
prevail when maize is stored with an intention of giving
suggestions on how to prevent loss on the basis of what has been
observed in the field. This study therefore revolves around an
attempt to test the major hypothesis that "physical and
environmental factors do not significantly influence maize grain
loss during storage" and to verify this hypothesis, several lines
of investigation have been pursued.
Data used in the study was gathered through a recording
schedule which involved farms randomly selected from the district.
Regression analysis done on the data is used to show the
relationship which exists between the physical, environmental and
biogenic factors and maize grain loss. This analysis indicates
some strong and significant relationship between these variables
under study. It was felt that these factors provide sufficient
explanation of maize grain loss during storage.
To find out whether there is more variation between the
samples than within them, the F-test is performed on the data.
strong and significant relationships are found to exist between the
independent and dependent variables. Several factors are found to
be significantly associated with maize grain loss at the farm and
national level and these are physical factors like temperature
inside the store, humidity and grain moisture content. The
biogenic factors are level of infestation including number of
insects present, trash content and grain coloration. A major
finding from the regression analysis is that all these factors
exert a strong role on grain loss right from the farm to the
national level. Results also indicate that store construction is
a substantial factor in farm grain storage loss.
Few farmers inthe area have as yet adapted modern recommendedstores
that can minimize grain loss. This has led to farmers
experiencing higher losses when they store the maize than when it
is stored by the cereals board. Less educated farmers preferred
the traditional bin-type storage method compared to more educated
farmers whose losses were minimal because they use modern
recommended stores. A large proportion of the farmers was observed
touse either malathion or actelic dusts as pesticides. These work
well when properly applied but still losses are observed to occur.
Consequently these losses have to be attributed to the physical and
environmental conditions within and around the stores.
A major conclusion emanating from findings of the research is
that there is n~ed to improve the storage facilities to arrest the
present rate of grain deterioration and loss. Improvement in the
handling of th9 grain right from the farm to national level and
also improvement in storage typology is essential.
This study recommends that farmers be educated about proper
storage techniques which will minimize post-harvest loss, since
lack of knowledge of proper storage -techniques has been identified
as one of the most serious problems facing the farmer. In this
respect extension workers curricula needs to be modified to have
more emphasis on post-harvest loss education. This will ensure
that farmers in the end are fully aware of the losses that they
experience and hence be able to adopt appropriate loss control
measures.
The study recommends research priority of scholars to include
specific contributions ofpests like rats and birds on actual loss.
Appropriate loss assessment methods should be designed such that
particular roles played by different variables can be pinpointed
other than presenting loss as being the result of a combination of
variables.
Citation
M.A (Agricultural Geography) 1993Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Depatment of Geography, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Arts Thesis