Extensionists

POSTCOSECHA provides you with extension material for a proven technology to reduce postharvest losses 

Extensionists need to explain the mechanisms of postharvest grain losses to farmers and convince them to adopt the new technology. On the POSTCOSECHA website you find information about the most important grain pests like insects, rodents, and birds. There are instructions for the handling stored grain, like how to dry the grain, how to measure the moisture content of grain, or how to fumigate grain against insects. Furthermore you can download a guide for extensionists and promotion material.

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You best start reading the following webpage and documents:

Production & Dissemination Chain (Link)

Metal Silo - Handling Stored Grain November 1998 Author: Regional POSTCOSECHA Program Metal silos are containers for storing maize, beans and other grain. They have a cylinder shape and are manufactured with galvanised sheets. Both the upper lid of the silo and the bottom are flat. The upper lid has an opening with a lid that serves to put grain inside the silo. Large- size silos, have an opening that allows for one person to enter and clean the inside of the silo. The bottom part of the silo has an opening with a lid that serves to take the grain out.

Download (PDF, 189 KB): [en]  [es]

Drying the grain - Its importance and common practices November 1998 Author: Regional POSTCOSECHA Program It has now been known for a long time that meat, fish and fruit can be preserved by being dried and subsequently used as foods. Once dried, they will not deteriorate although they may be stored for a long period of time. This is because vital processes occur very slowly when there is little humidity. The same is true of grains. Well dried grain will indeed not deteriorate at all. This document describes the theory regarding humidity, air temperature and grain temperature, relative humidity and their interactions. Further, safe humidity levels for grains and how to achieve them are described.

Download (PDF, 72 KB): [en]  [es]

Salt method to determine moisture contents in basic grains November 1998 Author: Regional POSTCOSECHA Program The moisture contents of basic grains (maize, beans, sorghum, and rice) to be stored in a metal sheet silo is one of the most difficult problems faced by farmers. Due to this situation, the Postcosecha Programme proposes a simple and safe method to determine the appropriate moisture content of basic grains, so they can be stored in metal silos.

Download (PDF, 16 KB): [en]  [es]

Phosphine: Fumigation Management November 1998 Author: Regional POSTCOSECHA Program Fumigants are insecticides in the form of gas. They kill adult insects that live on the outside of most grains and do away with the eggs, larvae and pupae that generally make their home inside the grain. Fumigants must be used only in receptacles that do not allow the gas to escape. Remember that it is toxic and can kill humans as well as domestic animals in the same way as it does insects. Nonetheless, phosphines are the least harmful fumigant.

Download (PDF, 47 KB): [en]  [es]