NASFAM Launches Post-Harvest Initiative for Central Region Farmers

NASFAM has formally launched a targeted post-harvest management initiative covering twelve district associations in the Central Region. The programme, funded through a partnership with a regional agricultural development fund, aims to significantly reduce post-harvest grain and legume losses that have historically eroded farmer income after a successful growing season.

The initiative provides farmer clusters with access to hermetic storage bags, community-level grain drying platforms, and structured training on commodity grading standards. Early pilot results from three associations in the previous season showed an average 38% reduction in post-harvest losses among participating households, translating directly into higher farm-gate income.

Association field officers will be trained as post-harvest coaches, creating a peer-learning network across districts. The programme also introduces a digital record-keeping tool allowing farmers to track stored volumes, expected sale windows, and price movements — empowering them to time their sales more strategically rather than selling immediately after harvest when prices are lowest.

NASFAM's Director of Programs noted that post-harvest losses have long been one of the most underaddressed constraints to smallholder farmer income. 'We can have a very good harvest, but if farmers lose 40% of their grain to poor storage or are forced to sell at the lowest point of the price curve, the impact on household income is severe. This initiative closes that gap,' she said.

The programme will run for three seasons, with evaluations after each cycle to adapt the approach based on farmer feedback and outcome data. A national scale-up phase is planned if the Central Region results are replicated across the pilot districts.