Farmers’ Perceptions of Rice Postharvest Losses in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

Postharvest losses (PHLs) are a threat to efforts aimed at ensuring food and income security. This study aimed at contributing to the efforts to reduce PHLs through examining smallholder farmers’ perceptions about level of PHLs in Eastern Uganda. A descriptive cross sectional survey involved 83 farmers in focus group discussions and 150 individual household interviews. Principal component analysis and logistic regression were used to establish the determinants of farmers’ perceived ability to reduce PHLs. Results indicate that farmers perceive 66% of the losses occurred at the stages of harvesting, heaping and threshing through spillage. Quality deterioration was perceived to be highest at harvesting and drying. Farmers’ perceived ability to reduce PHLs was lowest at those stages where the losses were highest. This implies that the losses are likely to remain high unless farmers’ mindset about their control beliefs is enhanced. Farmers perceived ability to reduce PHLs is significantly influenced by potential for expansion of rice production, awareness of the modes through which losses occur and ways in which rice is used at household level and household characteristics. Any interventions to reduce PHLs should focus on mobilizing and coordinating farmers into commercial rice production and mind shift through intensifying sensitization.