Pre & post-harvest handling & food loss reduction

Dear Valued donors,

We are excited to share with you the outcomes of your generous support in our pre and post harvest handing and loss reduction project. Your contribution has made a remarkable impact and difference in the lives of our farmers and their communities as well as families.

The challenge:

Post Harvest losses are a significant challenge for smallholder farmers in our community. Without proper handling and storage, a substantial portion of their harvest is lost to spoilage, pests and diseases. This not only affects their income but also exacerbates food security and thus leading to starvation and hunger.

Solution:

Our project has continuously provided farmer  capacity  training and support on best agronomic practices of re and post harvest handling.

1. Proper harvesting techniques.

2. Handling and storage methods

3. Pest management

4. Drying and preservation techniques

The Impact:

Our project has improved the agricultural production of the farmers in the community by;

1. Training 30 farmer trainers on best practices for growing, maintaining and harvesting coffee cherries including the proper use of fertilizers.

2. Providing inputs to farmers , the project provided tarpaulins, coffee harvesting buckets and coffee pruning implements and lend sprayers to farmers.

3. Providing training in financial literacy and discipline and cross-cutting issues in development, domestic violence and HIV/AIDS and how it affects family development.

Stories from the field.

Meet a smallholder coffee farmer who benefited from our project.

" Before the project, I would put my coffee on the bare ground to dry it, but now I have got the opportunity to dry my coffee on a tarpaulin and buyers nolonger complain of my coffee smelling goat's dung because I now dry it on a tarpaulin, where there is no dung. Coffee traders have started bying my coffee at good prices because it nolonger smells goat's dung".

I can now realize good money from my small piece of land and be able to provide basic needs to my family.

Project Report: Reducing Post-Harvest Losses and Improving food Security.

Dear Valued donor,

We are thrilled to share with you the impact of your generous support in our pre and post -harvest handling and loss reduction project . Your contribution has made a tangible difference in the lives of our farmers and their communities.

The challenge.

Post-harvest losses  are a significant challenge for smallholder farmers in our region.Without proper handling and storage, a substantial portion of their harvest is lost to spoilage, pests and disease.This not only affects their income but also exacerbates food insecurity.

The solution.

Our project has provided training and support to farmers on best practices for pre and post harvest handling, including;

1. Proper harvesting techniques.

2.Handling and storage methods.

3.Pest management.

4.Drying and preservation techniques.

The Impact.

Our project has achieved remarkable results among which;

1. Reduced post-harvest losses, farmers have reported a significant reduction in losses, resulting in increased income and food security.

2.Improved food security, with more food available, families are better nourished and children are more likely to attend school.

3. Empowered farmers, our training programs have empowered farmers, especially women to take control of their agricultural practices.

Stories from the Field.

Meet a, smallholder farmer who benefited from our project.

"Before the project, I would lose almost half of my harvest to pests and spoilage. Now, I know how to properly handle and store my crops. My income has increased, and I can afford to send my children to school", a unnamed farmer.

Wht's Next.

We will continue to support our farmers and expand our project to reach more communities. Your ongoing support will will enable us to;

1. Scale up our training programs.

2. Provide additonal resources and equipment.

3. Monitor and evaluate our impact.

Thank you.

We are grateful for your support and commitment to support our project. Your donations have made a real difference in the lives of our farmers and their communities.We look forward to continuing our work together.

Sincerely,

Masereka Kikumbwa Godfrey

Executive Director

Agency for Rural and Urban Development.