The Effect of Papaya Post-Harvest Losses on Food Security of Producing Households: The Case of Dugda Wereda, East Shoa, Ethiopia
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Date
2022-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Papaya has been produced in all regional states of Ethiopia and consumed as fresh fruit in most parts of the country. About 15, 572,313 Ethiopian small-holder farmers were involved in papaya production. Post-harvest loss of papaya was loss in quality and quantity; it appeared because of inappropriate handling practices, weak storage facilities, and poor transport logistics. The degree of post-harvest loss of papaya was increased 30%- 40% in developing countries and influenced the food security of households (Temesgen and Taye 2018). So, in the absence of a reliable and objective evaluation of the effect of papaya post-harvest losses on the food security of papaya producing households; the ways to minimize food insecurity of households of the study area are difficult. Yet, this study was intended to the effect of papaya post-harvest losses on food security of producing households in Dugada woreda. A cross-sectional design was used. Descriptive statistics is used to determine the farmers’ practices by using percentage, mean, standard deviation, range, frequencies, and in addition inferential statistics to assess the factors affecting post-harvest losses at the household level. The ordinal logit method was used to analyze the relationships between post-harvest loss and the food security status of the papaya producing households. Focus Group Discussions were made and questionnaires based interviews were conducted to collect qualitative and quantitative data. This survey was conducted on a total of 212 sample households consisting of papaya producers where 90% of them were male respondents. All papaya producing respondents had monthly income ranging from ETB 3000.00 to 7500.00. Concerning the practice of technologies in papaya production (100%) of producers only practices grading papaya. Of the respondents, only 7.5% tried to prolong the shelf-life of papayas to minimize post-harvest loss and use modified technology like time for harvest and occasion to harvest papayas. Most respondents (i.e., 92.5%) produce papaya for market purposes. The amount of papaya lost was 8.87% of the total production and 9.5% of total papaya sale revenues. Concerning food security status of papaya producing households, 59.5 % of the households were food secure and about 9% of households were moderately food insecure, 23%, of households were mildly food insecure. Similarly, 8.5% of households were severely food insecure. The study results suggest that Training and technical support are needed for papaya producers, and the market value chain government and structure must be strengthened to reduce the post-harvest loss.
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post-harvest loss, food security, handling practice, households, food insecurity, harvest technology