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Improved Hermetic Grain Storage System for Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania

Milindi, Paschal
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1469166460

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
More than 75% of Tanzanians depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Many smallholder farmers practice subsistence agriculture with maize as the major cereal crop, which is mainly used as food and partly a source of income. However, the maize grains start deteriorating soon after harvesting due to the lack of effective storage, mainly because of insect infestation. Thus, the main objective of this thesis was to develop and test an improved hermetic grain storage system for the smallholder farmers in Tanzania that can effectively store maize grain without addition of any chemicals. The proposed storage system was fabricated using locally available materials in Tanzania. The improved storage structure was tested by comparison with the conventional system using polyethylene sacks for six months using maize grains. Data were collected on the changes in dry matter, moisture content, temperature and relative humidity over the storage period of 6 months. The moisture content and dry matter were determined by sampling maize grains from both types of storage systems, at the beginning and the end of the storage period. Temperature and relative humidity of grains were continuously recorded using data loggers inserted in each storage structure. Initially, the grain moisture contents for the conventional and improved storage systems were 10.5 and 11.4%, respectively, and the final values were 12.0 and 13.2%, respectively. The overall storage dry matter loss for the maize grains stored for 6 months in the conventional and improved storage systems were 30.1 and 10.9%, respectively. The results suggest that the improved hermetic grain storage system stored grain better than polyethylene sacks used in the conventional system. The improved storage system shows the potentials to prolong maize storage period and ensure food security by reducing post-harvest food losses.
Ajay Shah, Dr. (Advisor)
Scott Shearer, Dr. (Committee Member)
Harold Keener, Dr. (Committee Member)
49 p.
Agricultural Engineering
Grain storage; hermetic; maize grain; smallholder farmers; dry matter loss; food security

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Milindi, P. (2016). Improved Hermetic Grain Storage System for Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1469166460

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Milindi, Paschal. Improved Hermetic Grain Storage System for Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania. 2016. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1469166460.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Milindi, Paschal. "Improved Hermetic Grain Storage System for Smallholder Farmers in Tanzania." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1469166460

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1469166460
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.