USING POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE RISKS IN FOOD SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY & LIVELIHOODS: Hermetic Storage Technologies in Kenya and Uganda

This policy brief examines the role of Hermetic Storage Technologies (HSTs) in mitigating climate-driven post-harvest losses in Kenya and Uganda. It argues that climate change increases pest and disease pressure, leading to significant grain losses and food safety risks like aflatoxin contamination. The document recommends the adoption of quality standards, increased farmer education on correct usage, and the removal of VAT to make HSTs more affordable for smallholder farmers.

• Climate change exacerbates post-harvest losses in Kenya and Uganda by increasing production volatility and intensifying pressure from pests and diseases, which leads to the wasted use of land, labour, water, and agro-chemicals.
• Grain post-harvest losses in Kenya and Uganda are typically estimated between 15% and 30% of total production, significantly exceeding the global average for cereals of 19% and Brazil's 6%. In Uganda, annual losses include approximately 493,000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize, 31,000MT of rice, and 26,500MT of millet, while Kenya loses over 700,000MT of maize.
• Higher temperatures and erratic rainfall increase the risk of aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnuts. This results in significant economic losses: Uganda's agricultural exports are estimated to fall by USD 16.34 million (with grain exports accounting for about USD 7.48 million), and Kenya loses approximately USD 3 million worth of maize to aflatoxins.
• Hermetic Storage Technologies (HSTs) reduce losses by asphyxiating pests without pesticides, allowing farmers to fetch higher prices. Maize stored in HSTs earns approximately 75% more than maize sold without storage and 27% more than maize stored in traditional means like storage cribs or non-hermetic bags.
• The adoption of HSTs is hindered by the proliferation of counterfeit and sub-standard products, which mislead farmers into believing the technology is ineffective. While Kenya gazetted standards for hermetic bags and plastic silos in August 2019, Uganda is still awaiting the gazetting of East African standards.
• High costs driven by Value Added Tax (VAT)—16% in Kenya and 18% in Uganda—limit HST uptake. In Uganda, the Revenue Authority has sometimes charged VAT on each component of the bag separately, potentially increasing total VAT to 36% or 54% of the product's value. Evidence from Tanzania suggests removing VAT could create a net societal gain of USD 38.9 million per agricultural season.
• Farmer misuse of HSTs, such as storing wet grain, leads to rapid quality deterioration and high aflatoxin levels, which farmers then incorrectly attribute to the failure of the technology.

APA

Mhando, K. (2021). USING POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE RISKS IN FOOD SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY & LIVELIHOODS: Hermetic Storage Technologies in Kenya and Uganda. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SNN-HST-Policy-Brief-WEB.pdf

Chicago

Mhando, Kimwaga. USING POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE RISKS IN FOOD SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY & LIVELIHOODS: Hermetic Storage Technologies in Kenya and Uganda. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2021. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SNN-HST-Policy-Brief-WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mhando |first1=Kimwaga |title=USING POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE RISKS IN FOOD SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY & LIVELIHOODS: Hermetic Storage Technologies in Kenya and Uganda |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=May 2021 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SNN-HST-Policy-Brief-WEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mhando2021using, author = {Mhando, Kimwaga}, title = {{USING POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE RISKS IN FOOD SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY \& LIVELIHOODS: Hermetic Storage Technologies in Kenya and Uganda}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SNN-HST-Policy-Brief-WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }