1. ATAKORA Eric Takyi , OSEI- TUTU Olivia Atakora, Dennice Okrah
POST HARVEST LOSSES ASSESSMENT OF VEGETABLES IN SOME SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN ASHANTI AND BRONG AHAFO REGIONS OF GHANA
ATAKORA Eric Takyi , OSEI- TUTU Olivia Atakora, Dennice Okrah

2. Background
In Ghana, the growing importance vegetables can be well appreciated by their increasing domestic demand and export potential as well as the increasing awareness of their capacity to provide remunerative employment in the rural areas.
Whilst domestic and export demand is steadily rising, vegetable production faces a lot of challenges including
Land tenure system
Technology transfer and training to farmers
Access to credits and inputs
Marketing ( Deguenon, 2006)
Field observations in the country have reported that between 40% to 50% of vegetables produced do not get to the final consumer (Kitinoja, 2002; Ray and Ravi, 2005; GNA, 2015).

3. Background
Severe loses occur because of poor transportation facilities, lack of technical know-how, poor management and improper market facilities or due to careless handling of the produce by farmers, market intermediaries and consumers (Gauraha and Thakur, 2008; Singh et al., 2008)
considering the fact that post harvest losses represents not only a waste of food, but a also waste of human effort, farm inputs, livelihoods, investments and scarce resources such as water, there is the need to assess the causes and extent of the losses in order to develop measures that will reduce post harvest losses.
At CABRARD, VVU-Techiman, we have taken the challenge to launch a program dubbed “improving rural farmers livelihood through postharvest technology” . Hence the paper seeks to present a justification for such program

4. Objectives
To assess the post harvest losses of some selected vegetables (tomato, okro, cabbage, pepper) in both physical and economic terms
To identify the causes of post harvest losses in cabbage, okro, pepper and tomato
To estimate losses in vegetables at different stages in the post harvest handling chain

5. Methodology Study Area Ashanti & Brong Ahafo Studied crops
Cabbage, okro, pepper, tomato
Data Collection
Field visits
Survey (focused group discussions, questionnaires & personal observation)
Sample technique
Purposive sampling
Sample size
80 vegetable farmers and 20 traders
Data analysis
SPSS software with 0.05 error

6. Estimation of post harvest loss
Physical loss were calculated by employing the following strategies
Field visit and direct counting
Calculation from average of estimated loss stated by farmers and traders
Economic loss
Value of loss (GH¢) = average estimated loss x unit price of commodity
Basis of estimation
Cabbage
No. of heads
Tomato
52 kg crate
Pepper
50 kg
Okro
50kg

7. Results & Discussions Focus group Actors Problems Recommend solutions
Farmers
Proper irrigation infrastructures
Access to training
Insect and nematodes attack
Non existent ineffective farmer association
Access to market
Access to credits and seeds
Transport and storage
Provision of performed irrigation infrastructure
Regular Organisation of special training for farmers
special training of farmers organisations to secure loans
Proper Marketing
Traders
lack of storage facilities
Access to markets
Non existent/ ineffectiveness of trader association
Special training on acquisition of loans

8. Results and Discussion Table 4
Results and Discussion Table 4. Farmers’ educational level, training and membership association
crops
No. of farmers
Education (%)
Education level (%)
Training (%)
Association (%)
Yes No
Primary
JHS
SHS
Cabbage 20 60 40 30 25 5 45 55
Okro 70 10
Pepper 80
Tomato 65 35 50 75

9. Results and Discussion
Causes of Post harvest losses of fresh vegetables in the study area
Poor storage techniques
Poor harvesting and handling practices
Excessive use of chemical fertilisers
Poor irrigation system
Insect and fungi attack

10. Results and Discussion
Table 5. Estimation of Post harvest losses at different stages at the farmers level
Crop
Av quantity produced
Stage
Total Losses (%)
Harvesting (%)
Packing (%)
Transport (%)
Marketing (%)
Cabbage/ head
4200
6.21
5.98
2.65
2.72
17.56
Okro/ 50kg bag/ 23
6.14
6.10
3.50
2.54
18.28
Pepper/ 50kg bag 20
6.17
4.23
2.30
15.24
Tomato/ 52 kg crate 25
7.05
10.72
6.98
4.42
29.6

11. Table 6. Estimation of Post harvest losses at different stages at the traders (retailers level)
Crop
Av quantity purchased
Stage
Total Losses (%)
Unloading(%)
Transport (%)
Selling (%)
Cabbage/ head
125
5.21
0.61
10.42
16.24
Okro/ 50kg bag/ 2
3.24
0.5
6.21
9.95
Pepper/ 50kg bag
3.46
0.21
5.94
9.61
Tomato/ 52 kg crate
4.05
0.8
5.96
10.81

12. Results and Discussions
Table7. Total post harvest losses in selected vegtables
Crop
Losses
Total losses (%)
Farmers (prodcers) level (%)
Traders (retailers) level (%)
Cabbage
17.56
16.24
33.8
okro
18.24
9.95
28.23
Pepper
15.24
9.61
24.85
Tomato
29.6
10.81
40.41

13. Conclusion
Results from the study are in consistent with similar study conducted by FAO in which suggests that in low income countries food losses are much higher in the beginning of the supply chain (agricultural production stage), than at the end (distribution or consumption stage)
Post harvest losses in vegetables vary from 24.85% %
At the produces level post harvest losses are maximum in tomato, followed by okro, cabbage and minimum in pepper
At the retail level cabbage registered maximum loss followed by tomato, okro and pepper
Post harvest losses in vegetables at the producers (farmers) level result from lack of proper knowledge about post harvest handling practices, improper irrigation infrastrurers, access to credit, market and farm inputs

14. suggestions
Periodic training of vegetable farmers on scientific post harvest techniques, appropriate use of pesticides and on appropriate marketing strategies
Development of low cost irrigation technologies to farmers
Development improved and high quality seeds for farmers
Development and distribution of packaging technologies (such as folding plastic boxes)
establishment of producer co-operatives to handle various activities relating to production and marketing of vegetable

15. THANK YOU