Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
64
Table 3.8: On-Farm Assessments at Six Groundnut Farms in Benin
Farm Details on Farm Quality
Sort by
Consultant
(Extreme
Defects or
Decay)
Quality Sort
by
Consultant
(Moderate
Defects or
Decay)
Notes on On-Farm Practices for
Groundnuts
1 1 ha
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea, tomato
10% 20% Harvested at morning, dried
pods on the ground between 2 to 3 days,
transported with motorbike or bicycle at
home, storage during 3 months.
2 1 ha
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea, tomato
15% 15% Harvested at morning, dried pods on the
ground between 2 to 3 days,
transported with motorbike or bicycle at
home, storage during 3 months.
3 6000 m2
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea
10% 18% Harvested at morning, dried pods on the
ground between 2 to 3 days,
transported with motorbike or bicycle at
home, storage during 3 months in
polyethylene bags.
4 1 ha
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea, tomato
12% 20% Harvested at morning, dried pods on the
ground between 2 to 3 days,
transported with motorbike or bicycle at
home, storage during 3 months in
polyethylene bags.
5 4000m2
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea, tomato
10% 20% Harvested at morning, dried pods on the
ground between 2 to 3 days,
transported with motorbike or bicycle at
home, storage during 3 months in
polyethylene bags.
6 1 ha
Bogandji Benin
Groundnut,
cowpea, tomato
10% 20% Harvested, dried pods on the ground
between 2 to 3 days, transported with
motorbike or bicycle at home, storage
during 3 months.
Range: 10-15% with extreme defects or decay.
Conservative Estimate of On-Farm Losses: 10 to 20%
Source: Site Visits.
Groundnut seeds are fragile. They are stored in pods to reduce attacks from pests. The pods are
shelled by hand, preferably 10-15 days before planting, and then sorted to remove non-viable
seeds that are moldy, small or have been attacked by insects. The seed disinfection treatment is
dusted with a mixture of fungicides and insecticides at a dose of 2%. But none of the producers
used seed treatment, preferring to focus on the cowpea crop. Peanuts are grown mainly for soil
fertilization, and a bit for the production of local products called kuli-kuli (fried groundnut