Title: Traders' cereal and legume grain storage practices and losses in Benin

Authors: Paul A.F. Houssou; Valère Dansou; Abel B. Hotegni; Hugue Zannou; Tanya Stathers

Addresses: Program Agricultural and Food Technology at National Institute of the Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB/MAEP/Benin), 01BP 884, Cotonou, Benin ' Program Agricultural and Food Technology at National Institute of the Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB/MAEP/Benin), 01BP 884, Cotonou, Benin ' Program Agricultural and Food Technology at National Institute of the Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB/MAEP/Benin), 01BP 884, Cotonou, Benin ' Program Agricultural and Food Technology at National Institute of the Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB/MAEP/Benin), 01BP 884, Cotonou, Benin ' Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK

Abstract: As countries urbanise and food systems lengthen, trade and traders' food storage practices become increasingly important. However, limited information on traders' practices exists. Using semi-structured interviews and loss measurement this study explored traders' postharvest practices and losses for maize, sorghum, cowpea and groundnut in Benin. During purchasing, traders use quality criteria such as: undamaged, clean, well-dried grains. They store the crops predominantly in sacks in rented warehouses or at their homesteads. Despite using grain protectants, they periodically unload, re-sun-dry, and re-sort their stocks to remove holed or mouldy grains. At storage termination grain weight loss due to insect damage and total weight loss due to all factors ranged from 0.25 to 8.17% across the four grains. Traders perceived insect and rodent infestation, rotting, inadequate storerooms and poor-quality protectants as their main storage constraints. Opportunities clearly exist for grain storage training and participatory trials with traders to help reduce food losses.

Keywords: grain crops; postharvest loss; grain quality; market storage; food loss and waste; Africa.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2024.144955

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2024 Vol.9 No.4, pp.328 - 348

Received: 31 Jan 2024
Accepted: 13 Oct 2024
Published online: 13 Mar 2025 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article