1 By: Mohammed Almasri A Trial to Demonstrate Some Postharvest Principles in the Field Context and Background State of Palestine Ministry of Agriculture G.D. Marketing & Passages Department of Postharvest Technology

Background –Why Postharvest demonstration trials? –Which crops, districts, and staff? Description of the intervention Evaluation, do we need to go on? –Advantages of the intervention –Constraints and - Opportunities Presentation Outline 2

Why Postharvest demonstration trials Postharvest losses of many fruits and vegetables are ranked high in Palestine! Many vegetables do not arrive in good shape or quality to their destination markets …………………….Why?? more likely, the major causes of this problem are: –Lack of adequate infrastructure for keeping quality of fresh produce –Lack of adequate expertise

Why Postharvest demonstration trials What can be done to reduce Postharvest losses? 1 st Idea: Simply visit farmers at their working places and provide technical support using a Mobile Postharvest Extension Unit 2 nd idea: conduct field experiments to demonstrate some of the technologies used to keep postharvest quality, i.e., Postharvest Demonstration Trials How?? Based on farmer and exporter needs. 4

Objective To reduce postharvest losses by demonstrating some good postharvest practices in the field and improving postharvest extension services through qualifying both extension workers and extension channels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERVENTION

1. Which crops, districts, and staff? 1 st step: 12 crops of highest production quantities were identified as “major local crops” among all fruits, vegetables, and field crops. 7

1. Which crops, districts, and staff? “Major local crops” 8

1. Which crops, districts, and staff? 2 nd step: To assess the significance of each district, reference was made to: –District’s share per crop: The percentage share of each district in producing the total quantity of each major local crop. –District’s average share: The average of the district’s percentage shares in producing all major local crops.

1. Which crops, districts, and staff? 10 Order of Significance District % share of total Production 1- Olive 2- Tomato 3- Cauliflower 4- Grape 5- Cucumber 6- Citrus 7- Squash 8- Eggplant 9- Onion 10- Potato 11- Plum 12- Banana All Major crops 1Jericho 0%17%12%2%6%7%43%54%4%2%0%100%21% 2Jineen 25%26%18%7%24%1%18%13%60%8%14%0%18% 3Tulkarem 12%8%22%0%32%42%6%8%2%16%8%0%13% 4Hebron 11%4%19%62%3%1%4%0%2%0%55%0%13% 5Tubas 1%18%2%0%13%4%20%18%19%50%0% 12% 6Nablus 20%3%5%1%5%19%4%3%11%21%4%0%8% 7Qalqilia 7%19%15%0%16%25%1%2%0%3%0% 7% 8Bethlehem 2%1%5%20%1%0%1% 0% 3%0%3% 9Ramallah 13%2% 3%0% 2%1% 3%0%2% 10Jerusalem 1%0% 4%0% 13%0%2% 11Salfeet 7%1% 0% 1%0%1%0%1% Total 100 %

1. Which crops, districts, and staff? 3 rd step: Demonstration teams; Setup and Training –7 districts were selected and 7 teams were assigned –Each team was comprised of 3 members –All members of teams were involved in an introductory training on postharvest applied research –Each team consulted a local senior research regarding the experimental design and statistical model 11

2. Postharvest problem; assessment and justification Each demonstration team prepared an assessment REPORT with the following content: –Survey of available postharvest facilities and infrastructure in the district. – An assessment of the main postharvest problems in their district causing higher losses in certain important crops. Each Demonstration team came out with justifications that verified one postharvest problem as more significant and urgent to deal with in a specific crop at a specific postharvest stage

2. Postharvest problem; assessment and justification Crop Factors causing Postharvest Losses Estimated losses during each postharvest stage Total Estimated Losses FarmTransport1 Wholesale Market Storage Transpor 2 …… Retail Market Crop1Handling2%5%8%30%50% Vent lation Gases 1% Temperature Sun RH Hygiene Crop2

3. Experimental design and setup Each demonstration team in cooperation with a senior researcher developed an experimental design setting the different treatments and number of replicates. Consequently, each team determined all the requirements for conducting the demonstration according to the experimental design.

4. Conducting the demonstration After obtaining all requirements, the demonstration team performed experimentation –according to the prepared experimental design –and over a predetermined course of time. Data values were recorded and kept for further statistical analysis in the next stage.

5. Analyzing results and writing scientific report The demonstration team in cooperation with the senior researcher performed statistical analysis of data values and interpreted the results in a scientific experimental report

6. Disseminating results of demonstration trials (1) By organizing farmer workshops in each district: simplified versions of the interpreted results of the demonstrations were presented to the farmers and marketers. (2) By participation of the packing house operators in doing the experiment

6. Disseminating results of demonstration trials

Advantages of the intervention Constraints Opportunities Evaluation; should we continue with this approach? 19

Advantages of the intervention Demonstration trials were based on actual farmer and exporter needs. Results of most trials comprised a set of applicable solutions to certain real postharvest problems that are facing farmers and marketers Demonstration trials ware credible as they were based on scientific experimentation approach Obtaining scientific comparisons between different handling methods Motivating producers to adopt more developed methods.

Constraints Some infrastructure, materials, and equipment are lacking Lacking funds Lacking specialized staff in Postharvest research Available extension staff has diverse tasks and responsibilities 21

Opportunities The presence of some local postharvest experts and senior researchers The presence of newly established experimental cooling facilities in National Agri. Research Center. The presence of some trained staff in the area of postharvest research 22

Opportunities Growing interest of development programs in market access and quality of fresh produce Growing demand for applying international production standards on Palestinian produce for exporting. 23

Thank you 24