Barriers to Hermetic Bag Adoption Among Smallholder Farmers in Malawi

Theresa Nakoma Ngoma (), John F. Leslie, Samson Pilanazo Katengeza, Aggrey Pemba Gama, Brighton M. Mvumi, Tafireyi Chamboko, Kingsley Mikwamba, Smith Gilliard Nkhata, Maurice Monjerezi, Jagger Harvey and Limbikani Matumba ()
Additional contact information
Theresa Nakoma Ngoma: Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 143, Malawi
John F. Leslie: Department of Plant Pathology, Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, 1712 Claflin Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Samson Pilanazo Katengeza: Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Bunda College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 219, Malawi
Aggrey Pemba Gama: Department of Food Science and Technology, Bunda College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 219, Malawi
Brighton M. Mvumi: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture Environment and Food Systems (FAEFS), University of Zimbabwe (UZ), Mt Pleasant, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe
Tafireyi Chamboko: Department of Agricultural Business Development and Economics, Faculty of Agriculture Environment and Food Systems (FAEFS), University of Zimbabwe (UZ), Mt Pleasant, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe
Kingsley Mikwamba: Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 143, Malawi
Smith Gilliard Nkhata: Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 143, Malawi
Maurice Monjerezi: Centre for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS), University of Malawi, Zomba P.O. Box 280, Malawi
Jagger Harvey: Department of Plant Pathology, Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, 1712 Claflin Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Limbikani Matumba: Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Lilongwe P.O. Box 143, Malawi

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: Hermetic grain storage bags are an airtight technology that protects stored grain from environmental factors, pests, and pathogens, with proven feasibility for smallholder farmer use. We examined the determinants and barriers to the use of these bags by smallholder farmers in Malawi and found that 83% of farmers were aware of hermetic bags for grain storage, but only 11–20% had ever used them, with half of the farmers who used the bags receiving them through donations. Furthermore, only 7.2% of farmers used the bags more than once. There was no association between their receipt of donated bags and their continued use and purchase of additional bags. There were, however, strong correlations between use of hermetic bags and the age of the head of household, distance to farmer groups’ meeting points, household size, and participation in a CIP-sponsored project. Focus group discussions identified key barriers to adopting hermetic bags, including local unavailability, perceived high cost, limited knowledge of the technology, low yields, and misconceptions about the utility of the bags. Thus, while donations play a central role in introducing hermetic bags, donations alone are insufficient in ensuring their long-term adoption. Addressing the identified barriers through improved availability, reduced costs, local manufacturing, and policy interventions such as microfinancing options and better distribution networks are essential to increasing the uptake of hermetic bags by smallholder farmers in Malawi and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: agricultural development; food security; postharvest; supply chains; sustainable agriculture; technology adoption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1231/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1231/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:1231-:d:1582935

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().