Food Processing, Packaging and Storage

The document highlights the potential for small-scale African farmers to meet a growing demand for processed foods—projected to be 75% of staple food demand—by adding value to indigenous crops. However, processors face significant hurdles, including limited access to modern storage (such as cold rooms), poor packaging that reduces consumer trust, and difficulties in meeting food safety certifications. The brief emphasizes the role of traditional methods like fermentation and drying in enhancing nutrition and shelf-life, while warning that unchecked processing waste can cause environmental pollution. It recommends that philanthropies fund capacity building, research into sustainable packaging, and the development of regional labelling standards to boost the marketability of local processed foods.

• Urbanisation and changing dietary patterns are driving a significant increase in demand for processed foods in Africa, which are expected to constitute approximately 75% of the demand for staple foods.
• Small-scale processors struggle with food safety and market access due to limited resources, knowledge, and the high cost of certification, such as the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) certification.
• Traditional processing techniques, specifically drying and fermentation, are critical for reducing food losses, extending shelf life, and improving the nutritional value of indigenous crops like sorghum and millet.
• Inadequate storage infrastructure leads to significant post-harvest losses; for example, in Kenya's Arror ward, the lack of cold rooms results in mangoes rotting, and the use of makeshift structures increases the risk of fungal growth.
• Poor packaging and a lack of standardised labelling undermine consumer confidence and the marketability of local products, with many processors relying on cheap but ineffective materials like plastic pails or banana leaves.
• Food processing waste, if not managed through circular economy technologies like biogas production, can lead to environmental degradation and the release of methane, contributing to global warming.

APA

Ramkat, R. C., Dittoh, S., Cheserek, M., Kimutai, G., M’Arimi, M. M., & Chamba, M. V. (2025). Food Processing, Packaging and Storage. African Climate Foundation. https://africanclimatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/801023_N-Food-processing-storage-and-packing-WEB-1-1.pdf

Chicago

Ramkat, Rose C, Saa Dittoh, Maureen Cheserek, Gibson Kimutai, Milton M M’Arimi, and Moses VM Chamba. Food Processing, Packaging and Storage. African Climate Foundation, 2025. https://africanclimatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/801023_N-Food-processing-storage-and-packing-WEB-1-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ramkat |first1=Rose C |last2=Dittoh |first2=Saa |last3=Cheserek |first3=Maureen |last4=Kimutai |first4=Gibson |last5=M’Arimi |first5=Milton M |last6=Chamba |first6=Moses VM |title=Food Processing, Packaging and Storage |publisher=African Climate Foundation |date=2025 |url=https://africanclimatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/801023_N-Food-processing-storage-and-packing-WEB-1-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ramkat2025food, author = {Ramkat, Rose C and Dittoh, Saa and Cheserek, Maureen and Kimutai, Gibson and M’Arimi, Milton M and Chamba, Moses VM}, title = {{Food Processing, Packaging and Storage}}, institution = {African Climate Foundation}, year = {2025}, url = {https://africanclimatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/801023_N-Food-processing-storage-and-packing-WEB-1-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }