IAR4D Approach for Strengthening
Partnerships Among Stakeholders to
Encourage Collective Actions towards PostHarvest Issues1
By
Alphonse Emechebe
(Coordinator, KKM PLS of SSA CP, IAR/IITA Kano Station, Kano, Nigeria)
Outline:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Some Post-Harvest Issues
Strategic Decisions of Farmers
Structure and Process Principles of IAR4D
Few Experiences to Address Post-harvest Issues
using the IAR4D Approach in KKM PLS
1 PowerPoint
Presentation as Panelist to panel discussion on the theme of CORAF/WECARD
Science Week, Cotonou, Benin Republic, May 24-29, 2010.
1. SOME OF THE ISSUES TO BE
ADDRESSED IN POST-HARVEST
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN WCA

Food Quality and Food Safety at All Levels
(Household, Community, National and
International)

Human Population Factor

Drudgery Associated with Traditional Food
Processing by Rural Women

Limited or Lack of Access to Profitable
Markets, Bulk Storage Facilities and Processors
for Primary Agricultural Produce.
1.1. Food Quality and Food Safety

Should be addressed at all levels (household,
community, national and international)
within the food systems.

Factors to be considered include:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
Poor physical quality of food item
Microbial contaminations/infestations
Mycotoxins
Chemical contaminations
Accelerated rotting/decay, especially of fruits
and vegetables.
(vi) Damage/contamination by other biological
agents (e.g. rodents & insects)
1.2. Human Population Factor

In different countries of WCA, human population
doubles every 20-25 years.

The rapid increase in population is associated with
ever-increasing rate of rural-urban migration
mostly of youths fleeing from:
-
Rural poverty, and
Poor rural infrastructure and services.

The urban populations eat more processed foods
instead of unprocessed traditional staples usually
consumed in rural communities.

Need to store foods to meet demands by urban
population
1.3. Drudgery Associated with
Traditional Food Processing by
Rural Women

Traditional food processing by rural women is
labourious and time-consuming (e.g.
groundnut oil extraction)

Prototypes developed for cottage industry
food processing yet to be mass-produced by
private sector

Uptake of improved food processing
technologies by rural women has been limited
due to either non-availability of machinery or
lack of funds.
1.4.
Limited or Lack of Access to Profitable
Markets, Bulk Storage Structures and
Processors for Primary Agricultural Produce
These are serious constraints because:
(i)
Proximity to markets offering guaranteed
fair prices for primary agricultural
produce minimizes post-harvest losses.
(ii)
Well-managed bulk storage facilities:
- minimize individual risks involved in grain
storage
- ensure grains are sold at times of peak
demand and fair prices
- serve as reliable sources of large quantities
of grains for merchants and processors
2.
Strategic Decisions that Farmers
Make
The farmer makes one or more strategic
decisions in relation to post-harvest issues,
depending on his/her socio-economic
circumstances:

Sells disposable produce soon after harvest.

Stores disposable produce for varying periods
after harvest and then sells later at better
prices

Processes disposable produce and sells valueadded product
3.
IAR4D CONCEPT
3.1. Integrated agricultural research
for development (IAR4D) aims
to transform linear process of
agricultural technology transfer
(research-extension-farmer) by
embedding research within an
innovation system comprising all
relevant actors in agricultural value
chain. It is characterized by a
structure and several process
principles
3.2. IAR4D Structure is the Innovation
Platform (IP) defined as:
 An informal coalition, collaboration,
partnership and alliance of public and
private scientists, extension workers,
farmers’ representatives, farmers’
associations, private firms, NGOs and
government policymakers who cooperate,
communicate and interact (often across
sectoral and ministerial lines) motivated
by common belief that increasing
agricultural productivity can help
improve welfare of all members of society
3.3. Key Process Principles of IAR4D
(i)
(ii)
Existence of an IP for diagnosing problems, exploring
opportunities and investigating and validating solutions.
Non-linear (but network) collective, collaborative interaction
among IP actors. This enhances:



(iii)
Direct and continuous interaction, communication and
knowledge sharing among IP actors.
Quick and continuous feedback from end users at all stages of
R4D
Timely integration of new knowledge into the innovation
process using experiential learning, M&E, and continuous
feedback
Research that addresses key constraints and opportunities
agreed by IP actors in the context of entire value chain (from
input supply through production to consumption) and
sustainable livelihood systems
(iv)
A research process that is multidisciplinary and
participatory
(iv)
Institutional and human capacity building for IAR4D actors
to effectively participate in IP activities.


The capacity building needs are identified by IP actors
Formal and informal training is provided by the appropriate
partners
4.
Two Experiences of KKM PLS to Address PostHarvest Issues Using IAR4D Approach

The Kano-Katsina-Maradi (KKM) Pilot Learning Site (PLS) is
one of 3 PLSs of the Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge
Programme (SSA CP) facilitated by FARA

KKM PLS has 3 Task Forces (TFs) that implement 3 subprojects (Sahel, the Sudan Savanna and the Northern Guinea
Savanna)
4.1. The Sudan Savanna (SS) TF is addressing 2 postharvest constraints/issues in its Cereal-Legume
IPs:
(i)
Heavy losses caused by cowpea bruchid on improperly stored
cowpea and human health hazards associated with chemical storage
of cowpea
(ii)
High labour demand and drudgery associated with manual shelling
of groundnut, dehusking maize and oil extraction from groundnut
4.2. Strengthening Stakeholders on Non-Chemical
Storage of Cowpea Grains.

Actors in Cereal-Legume IPs of the SS TF, having identified
constraint (i) above, agreed that problem would be minimized by
farmer-adoption of the non-chemical storage of cowpea.

Non-chemical cowpea storage consists of hermetic storage of
cowpea grains in a triple layer bag

Triple layer bag comprises two polyethylene plastic
bags (80 microns thick) and a third sack (outer bag)
made of woven polypropylene.

The inner bag is carefully filled with grain in such a
way that there are no air pockets and that there is
enough material for tying after packing the grains
tightly. The lip of inner bag is twisted and tied firmly
with heavy string at the base of the twist and over the
folded twist. The middle bag is pulled over the inner
one to completely surround it and the lip twisted shut
and handled as the first bag. The same procedure is
followed for the outer, woven bag.

The SS TF trained extension agents and lead farmers at
various locations in Kano and Katsina States using
training manual and bags supplied by PICS (Purdue
Improved Cowpea Storage) Project
-
Bags produced by local manufacturer in Kano

Training emphasized importance of storing only dry,
clean grains under rodent-proof stores.
-

Bags must be obtained from accredited suppliers
Technology has spread like wild fire to the extent that
demand for bags has completely exceeded supply.
4.3. Strengthening Stakeholders on Fabrication, Use
and Maintenance of Motorized Groundnut
Sheller, Maize Dehusker and Groundnut Oil
processing Equipment

The actors in Cereal-Legume IPs of the SS TF noted that
some post-harvest operations implemented by
resource-poor farmers and village-level processors are
tedious and labour-intensive. Among these are:
-
shelling of groundnuts
dehusking maize
extracting oil from groundnut grains.

IP actors also learnt that engineers of IAR/ABU,
Zaria had developed prototype equipment that
would remove the above drudgery and save
labour

Over the years, efforts to find manufacturers to
mass-produce the equipment had been in vain

After careful consideration of the above
situation, IP actors resolved that IAR engineers
should train local artisans (blacksmiths and
welders) to fabricate the maize dehuskers, the
groundnut sheller and groundnut oil extraction
equipment. Both artisans and relevant lead
farmers were trained on the use and maintenance
of the three equipment
-
Training sessions emphasized pre-operational checks
-
Trainees were advised to adhere strictly to the
procedures outlined in the manuals

Having completed the training, farmers, farmer
groups and women groups placed orders for
various equipment with the artisans

In this way, the IP generated employment and
created wealth (for the artisans) and considerably
reduced drudgery associated with manual shelling
of groundnut, dehusking maize and extracting oil
from groundnut grains (for farmers and
processors).