The Magnitude of Post-harvest Groundnut Loss in Africa and How it Affects the Security of Food and Nutrition

Abstract

By lowering post-harvest loss, resources including financial, human, and natural inputs are preserved, which lowers poverty, increases household incomes, and enhances rural livelihoods. Groundnuts are preferred for improving nutrition because of their higher fiber value, higher unsaturated fat content, and plant-based protein. Because it fixes nitrogen from the air and improves soil fertility, groundnuts are also well known for their environmental benefits, which include lowering the need for chemical fertilizers. Nevertheless, there aren't many published scientific studies on the measurement of groundnut post-harvest loss in African nations. Furthermore, biodeterioration during storage was the main focus of published studies on groundnut post-harvest loss. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the root causes, the degree of groundnut quality and quantity loss in the supply chain after harvest, post-harvest loss mitigation technologies in Africa, and their effects on food and nutrition security. According to this assessment, smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan African nations are constrained by the increased drudgery needed in the groundnut supply chain. Groundnut post-harvest losses, both qualitative and quantitative, are greater when groundnut pods are stripped and shelled, as well as when groundnuts are stored in warehouses and on farms throughout the supply chain. In African nations, post-harvest groundnut losses range from 8.9% in Ghana to 31% in Uganda. Because traders and processing facilities do not test for aflatoxin content after purchase, higher-quality groundnut producers do not obtain a higher market price, allowing them to disregard labor- and cost-intensive excellent agricultural practices. In conclusion, it is important to implement and supply better groundnut varieties, aflatoxin management methods, and post-harvest technologies that are more effective, less expensive, and locally accessible. Furthermore, there should be a broad public awareness campaign about aflatoxin toxicity and mitigating strategies.