Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment

The efficacy of improved post-harvest practices for reducing food losses is often reported, but the nutritional benefits remain much less expounded. Meanwhile, nutrient concentration changes during the post-harvest period can influence potential nutrition gains targeted to benefit households. We ana...

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Main Authors: Mutungi, C., Tungu, J., Amri, A., Gaspar, A., Abass, A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/126589
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author Mutungi, C.
Tungu, J.
Amri, A.
Gaspar, A.
Abass, A.
author_browse Abass, A.
Amri, A.
Gaspar, A.
Mutungi, C.
Tungu, J.
author_facet Mutungi, C.
Tungu, J.
Amri, A.
Gaspar, A.
Abass, A.
author_sort Mutungi, C.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The efficacy of improved post-harvest practices for reducing food losses is often reported, but the nutritional benefits remain much less expounded. Meanwhile, nutrient concentration changes during the post-harvest period can influence potential nutrition gains targeted to benefit households. We analyzed contents of selected nutrients in farmers’ maize and common bean stocks under ordinary and improved practices at different post-harvest stages and related them to the physical quality. The improved practices comprised drying on tarpaulins, improved threshing, cleaning, and air-tight storage. By calibrating the actual nutrient contents against losses data, we estimated nutrient abundance levels and applied household farm production and nutrient demand data to estimate potential nutritional gains. Post-harvest stage (S), practice (P), and the S*P interaction significantly influenced physical quality, actual nutrient contents, and nutrient abundance. The actual contents of most nutrients increased or decreased monotonically with grain damage. For maize, improved practices begot more calories (4.7%), protein (13.9%), and minerals (4–26%) at the mid stage of the post-harvest season and even more calories (40%), protein (34%), and minerals (2–105%) at the late stage. The gains were lower for beans–calories 6.5%, protein 8.7%, minerals 1–55%. Dry matter loss and nutrient enrichment effects were responsible for variable nutrient concentrations in the maize and beans. The dry matter loss effect mainly influenced macronutrient abundance levels, especially in maize, whereas the enrichment effect mainly influenced minerals abundance with stronger influence on the beans than maize. Nutrients redeemed by improved practices at the late stage corresponded to 16–55 more days of calories and protein sufficiency for households, and significant extra days of minerals sufficiency, including Zn (16–56), Cu (23–81), Mg (45–166), and K (7–26). The gains have relevance for nutritionally-challenged households.
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spelling CGSpace1265892025-10-26T13:02:01Z Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment Mutungi, C. Tungu, J. Amri, A. Gaspar, A. Abass, A. maize food security nutrition calories protein micronutrients food production The efficacy of improved post-harvest practices for reducing food losses is often reported, but the nutritional benefits remain much less expounded. Meanwhile, nutrient concentration changes during the post-harvest period can influence potential nutrition gains targeted to benefit households. We analyzed contents of selected nutrients in farmers’ maize and common bean stocks under ordinary and improved practices at different post-harvest stages and related them to the physical quality. The improved practices comprised drying on tarpaulins, improved threshing, cleaning, and air-tight storage. By calibrating the actual nutrient contents against losses data, we estimated nutrient abundance levels and applied household farm production and nutrient demand data to estimate potential nutritional gains. Post-harvest stage (S), practice (P), and the S*P interaction significantly influenced physical quality, actual nutrient contents, and nutrient abundance. The actual contents of most nutrients increased or decreased monotonically with grain damage. For maize, improved practices begot more calories (4.7%), protein (13.9%), and minerals (4–26%) at the mid stage of the post-harvest season and even more calories (40%), protein (34%), and minerals (2–105%) at the late stage. The gains were lower for beans–calories 6.5%, protein 8.7%, minerals 1–55%. Dry matter loss and nutrient enrichment effects were responsible for variable nutrient concentrations in the maize and beans. The dry matter loss effect mainly influenced macronutrient abundance levels, especially in maize, whereas the enrichment effect mainly influenced minerals abundance with stronger influence on the beans than maize. Nutrients redeemed by improved practices at the late stage corresponded to 16–55 more days of calories and protein sufficiency for households, and significant extra days of minerals sufficiency, including Zn (16–56), Cu (23–81), Mg (45–166), and K (7–26). The gains have relevance for nutritionally-challenged households. 2022-01 2023-01-05T08:29:16Z 2023-01-05T08:29:16Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/126589 en Limited Access Elsevier Mutungi, C., Tungu, J., Amri, A., Gaspar, A. & Abass, A. (2022). Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment. Journal of Stored Products Research, 95: 101918, 1-21.
spellingShingle maize
food security
nutrition
calories
protein
micronutrients
food production
Mutungi, C.
Tungu, J.
Amri, A.
Gaspar, A.
Abass, A.
Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title_full Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title_fullStr Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title_full_unstemmed Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title_short Nutritional benefits of improved post-harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in Northern Tanzania: a quantitative farm-level assessment
title_sort nutritional benefits of improved post harvest handling practices for maize and common beans in northern tanzania a quantitative farm level assessment
topic maize
food security
nutrition
calories
protein
micronutrients
food production
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/126589
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