“In Africa, we have no strategy for handling surplus,” said Dr Gichuki Muchiri, an agricultural engineer, speaking at a recent COMESA meeting on agricultural policy. “In Zimbabwe we have the same problem, as commodities like tomatoes and cabbages usually rot in the field because of lack of markets.”
Muchiri called for the adoption of a strategy on the processing of surplus produce for alternative markets as a solution to post-harvest losses in the region. Produce such as maize can be turned into alternatives like bio-fuel and stockfeed.
Muchiri however explained that converting of the surplus produce into alternatives requires technology driven by mechanisation policies and strategies for good security. Brazil was said to be controlling the world market for ethanol because of having a post-harvest strategy on alternative energy.