Production of Clay Containers for Curbing Plantain Post-Harvest Losses in Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, most farmers are peasants and at times foodstuffs produced get rotten either through transportation or market places. This normally affects the meager income that farmers earn through hard work. Available statistics indicate that each year, food crops worth several hundreds of dollars go waste in the country due to poor harvest losses and it represents 70% of total food production in Ghana. Again, in the country, there is abundant of clay as a natural resource. Geological study has revealed that it is found in almost every part of the country. As a means of finding solution to the rate at which local foodstuffs especially plantain rot, the study sought to design and compose clay container purposefully for storing plantain to prolong its lifespan. The study focused on 5 clay body compositions (C 1 to C 5 ) and fired at 950˚C. Composition C 1 consisted of 50% of Abonko clay and 50% of Daboase clay. Composition C 2 was made up of 40% Abonko clay, 50% Daboase clay and 10% of smooth sawdust. Composition C 3 composed of 45% of Abonko clay, 45% of Daboase clay and 10% of smooth sawdust. Composition C 4 was made up of 90% Daboase clay and 10% rough sawdust. The last composition C 5 comprised mainly 100% Abonko clay. Fresh plantains obtained from Takoradi market circle were stored in the containers and weekly recordings of states of plantain for five consecutive weeks were carried out. It was revealed that C 4 was successful in storing fresh plantains to ripe stage after the five weeks. It is recommended among others that, the technique should be made available to stakeholders such as Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), plantain farmers and market plantain sellers through seminars, public education and symposia in order to minimize post-harvest losses.