Improving postharvest handling of soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Merrill) in Cameroon

Abstract

The objective of this review was to determine soybean losses at different stages postharvest handling and to recommend technology intervention for sustainable solutions and maintenance of quality. Secondary data collected globally from published articles, ranging between the years 2000 to 2020 were utilized to determine the causes and to provide technology innovation to abate the problems. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) is one of the most important legume crops in the world due to its uses namely food, feed, oil, and nutrient supplement for humans, livestock, industries, and plants respectively. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the average yield has remained at 1.1 t/ha compared to 2.4 t/ha in the world and this region is known for the highest malnutrition and food insecurity in the world. In Cameroon, most of the soybean grains are imported, however, trials are currently been conducted to identify varietal adaptability to scale up production in the different agroecological zones. Stakeholders such as producers, distributors, processors, and consumers are faced with seriously signi icant postharvest losses along the grain value chain. Both quantitative and qualitative losses were identi ied with mostly incurred in storage because of biotic and abiotic factors. Technology intervention occurs in the system particularly in storage facilities and packaging such as hermetic and triple packaging respectively is indispensable in reducing postharvest losses. The discovery of effective marketable botanicals for use in storage is invaluable for small-scale producers in Cameroon and other developing countries for grain protection against pests and diseases.