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Herald Reporter
Government yesterday launched the Metal Silo technology in Rusape as part of measures to enhance household food security by reducing post-harvest losses.Secretary for Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Mr Ngoni Masoka said in a speech read on his behalf by Agritex technical director Mr Bennard Mache at the launch that the system would go a long way in increasing incomes for farmers through the provision of improved post-harvest technologies.

The silo was commissioned under the “Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers (EGSP) Phase 2 Project in Makoni District.

“The activities are building up towards the EGSP goal of enhancing household food security by reducing post-harvest losses and increasing incomes of farmers through the provision of improved post harvest technologies, informed policy and capacity building for scaling-up,” said Mr Masoka.

He said in Africa, a lot of maize was lost each year due to poor post harvest handling and this would be minimised by keeping the maize in the metal silo.

“Studies have shown that Africa loses 20 to 30 percent of the maize harvested every year due to poor post harvest handling,” said Mr Masoka.
“This loss is estimated to be over US$4 billion and is equal to food aid that has been received in Africa over the past 10 years.

“Storage loses are caused by many factors such as rodents, insects and moulds. Up to 10 percent of grain is lost in storage alone. So, for every 10 bags, one bag is lost.”

Mr Masoka said the metal silo prevents grain loss to rodents, insects,moulds, theft and the larger grain borer which can cause up to 100 percent loss.

“No insect can survive inside the metal silo as it is completely sealed,” he said.
“I have no doubt that this technology will go a long way in providing solutions aimed at mitigating the effects of grain post harvest losses.”

Mr Masoka said the success of the project could be achieved when artisans who manufacture the metal silos ensure that farmers have easy access to them.

The manufacture of the silos by the artisans would create employment opportunities for income generation as they would become an extra item on the products that the artisans were already producing, he said.

The project was launched in September last year and a number of activities have been implemented to prepare a good foundation.
It is hoped that the technology will spread throughout the country and been braced by farmers.