Post-Harvest Technology Utilization in Uganda: An Overview

Abstract

This study investigated whether the level of adoption of the post-harvest technologies was dependent on the knowledge acquired by the farmers from the extension workers. Over 70% of Uganda's population depends on agriculture, which generates 22.5% of the country's GDP through exports and employment. However, the industry faces a number of difficulties. In addition to production difficulties like drought, pests, and disease, subpar postharvest handling practises result in the loss of over 40% of the season's total yield. To plan interventions that enable improve the utilization of postharvest methods, it is important to understand what is currently being done. The questionnaire target was to find out the level of knowledge and practice that extension workers had regarding the different postharvest practices (drying, threshing/shelling, winnowing, sorting, grading, packaging and storage). The study also captures extension service to farmers, benefits, and challenges associated with the use of post-harvest technologies across all regions in Uganda. Access to equipment was the most persistent issue regarding the use of post-harvest technology, which may be attributed to low investment in post-harvest technology by responsible bodies. The available access equipment was expensive and inefficient, costing the farmers a high level of production.