Reducing Postharvest Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
67
Frying/Garification  Better temperature control
Drying  Sun drying is very inefficient.
More collective mechanical drying
would be better
Packaging  Improved package material and
techniques be promoted
Storage  Better storage facilities. Technologies such
as ambient storage.
Marketing  Improve packaging
 Linking processors to markets for
cassava products
Note: No comments were reported for potato
Improved technologies for processing and packaging during transport and storage were
suggested. These included mechanisation e.g. drying equipment. In addition a supportive
policy environment to improve road structures (Nigeria) and better linkages between actors of
the value chain (processors to markets) were proposed. Constraints to reducing PHLs are
presented i
Table 28: Constraints to reducing PHLs reported for roots and tubers and per step of
postharvest
Postharvest step Cassava Sweet potato
Transportation  Distance and road conditions
 Poor road infrastructures from farm to
processing centres
 Lack of funding.
Washing - -
Peeling  labour intensive manual peeling method
 lack of target final products for selection
 Unimproved manual peeling methods
 Lack of capacities in developing and
promoting the more efficient
practices.
Grating/Rasping/
Chipping/Crushin
g
 Cost
Dewatering/pres
sing
 Cost
 Poor dewatering process
Frying/Garificatio
n
 Cost
Drying  Collective processing is constrained by the
challenges of organising a consistent cassava
supply
Packaging  Poor packaging materials and techniques
Storage  Lack of funding
Marketing  Cost
 Lack of access to markets
Note: No comments were reported for potato
These constraints relate to the current situation with the road infrastructure, the fact that
cassava processing is very labour intensive and new equipment require investment and
capitals.