Farmers’ Perception of the Use and Benefits of Cowpea Storage Methods in Northern Ghana

Ryan Kusi Osei-Asibey, Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu, Robert Aidoo, Stanley Boakye-Achampong, Felix Charles Mills-Robertson and Dieudonne Baributsa
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Ryan Kusi Osei-Asibey: Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu: Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
Robert Aidoo: Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
Stanley Boakye-Achampong: Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
Felix Charles Mills-Robertson: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB UPO, Kumasi, Ghana
Dieudonne Baributsa: Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-10

Abstract: Insect infestation during the storage of cowpea is a major challenge among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Farmers use various postharvest storage methods to deal with insect pests, including insecticides, which may result in health and environmental hazards. Four hundred (400) cowpea farmers were interviewed on their perceptions and preference of different storage methods in Northern Ghana. About 58% of farmers applied insecticides, 50% used ash, and 42% used hermetic triple-layer bags (Purdue Improved Crop Storage, PICS) to store cowpea. Most farmers (85.6%) preferred the PICS technology for its effectiveness (compared to insecticides, ash, and botanicals). Reasons for the non-use of PICS bags included unavailability (39.5%) and high price (11.7%). Farmers perceived that storing cowpea in PICS bags lowered pesticide-related health risks for both farmers and consumers. Thus, there is a need to improve the availability and affordability of PICS bags in Northern Ghana.

Keywords: grain storage; insect pests; postharvest losses; airtight technologies; food safety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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