Effect of post harvest loss reduction of Irish Potato on food security in Rwanda

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the effect of post-harvest loss reduction of Irish potato on food security in Rwanda. Specifically the study aimed to map the key Irish potato value chain actors in Musanze district, to analyse determinants of post-harvest loss of Irish potato in Musanze district and to assess the effect of post-harvest loss reduction of Irish potato on farmers’ revenues in Musanze District. The study was conducted in four high potential Irish potato production sectors of Musanze district namely Gataraga sector, Musanze, Busogo and Kinigi sectors. The study covered the total of 112 Irish potato producers including 92 Post Harvest Handling and Storage (PHHS) adopters and 30 non-adopters. The study used primary data collected through structured questionnaires containing quantitative and qualitative parameters. The study used descriptive statistics as well as econometric propensity score matching (PSM) to model and compare the effect of use of Irish potato post-harvest loss reduction interventions on food security among farmers from the study area. Data was analysed using Ms excel, SPSS and STATA and modelling. The study found that 11% of the total Irish potato production is lost at farm level with only 89% reaching the different markets outlets. The factors affecting Irish potato post-harvest losses in Musanze district were age of the farmer, farm size, land allocated for Irish potato farming, access to extension services, trainings on PHHS operations, materials used in Irish potato harvesting and storage duration of Irish potato production. For Irish potato production in 2018A, the average Irish potato production was 6.979tons/ha and the mean difference in terms of production ranged from 854.72 kg/ha to 1,039.97 kg/ha. While in season 2018B, the average Irish potato production was 4.3tons/ha and the mean difference in terms of production ranged from 1.18 to 1.19tons/ha the mean difference between treated and control increased from 16.80 Kg/ ha to 374.41 Kg/ha and the production parameter was not statistically significant at 5% level of significance (Insufficient production). For food storage, in season of 2018A, the average quantity of Irish potato stored was 57.69Kg per households while the mean difference was ranging from 56.07Kg to 57.69Kg .while in 2018B there was no farmer who stored any Irish potato. For food consumption, in 2018A the average quantity of Irish potato consumed was 825Kg while the mean difference was ranging from 254.18Kg to 511.54Kg of cooked Irish potato. During the next farming season of 2018B, the average mean quantity consumed was 748.08Kg while the mean difference of treated and control was ranging from 294.29Kg to 542.63Kg using the NNM, KM and RM and all parameters were statistically significant at 5% level of significance. The seasonal findings showed that Average Treatment effect on Treated (ATT) of farmers’ revenues per hectare of Irish potato was 1,394,517 Frws/ha and 1,161,103 Frws/ha while the mean difference was ranged from 383,592Frws/ha to 411,854 Frws/ha in 2018A. While in season of 2018B, the mean difference was ranging from 171,816 Frws/ha to 211,577 Frws/ha. All parameters were evaluated based on three matching algorithms including using Nearest Neighbor Matching (NNM), Kernel Matching (KM) and Radius Matching (RM). The study findings also concluded that there is no food security due to price fluctuation and low farmers’ revenues that may hamper producer’s ability to participate in retail markets outlets and afford dietary needs for their households’ members. A need for improve of extensions services to encourage farmers to adopt different physical layout of stores is recommended so as to minimize loss and increase the nutritional status of the Irish potato.