Analyzing and Improving Drying Methods of Vegetables in Northern Ghana to Reduce Post-harvest Losses

The most widely used method for food preservation by farmers and vegetable sellers is open sun-drying. However, drying is often hampered during the rainy season due to limited sunshine. Additionally, the harvest is susceptible to attacks from insects, birds, and rodents, resulting in substantial post-harvest losses. These challenges have persisted for a long time, prompting various efforts to provide solutions through different solutions through different programs. However, existing models often fail to meet the needs of the prospective users. A human-centered approach was employed to explore the experiences of farmers and understand the current drying processes and challenges faced in post-harvest farming. The study used a qualitative research approach, including interviews with 22 respondents: staff members, vegetable sellers, and farmers in Northern Ghana. The research goals were to gather initial insights into the vegetable-drying process and its effect on reducing post-harvest losses in Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions of Ghana. The study aimed to identify the current processes deployed by farmers and the challenges faced, as well as address the interests and challenges of relevant stakeholders in the vegetable-drying chain. Lean Research principles were applied to ensure that the research approach was rigorous, relevant, respectful, and right-sized. The research team explored research themes from the analysis of insights into the needs, concerns, and interests of farmers and other stakeholders. The common problems identified in the study were selected from among the interview responses. A vegetable merchant stated, "The research will make a good impact on us because we are sellers and most of the things we sell are dried ones." After the interviews, the research team asked stakeholders how they would like to receive the findings from the study. Respondents seemed excited about receiving the findings, indicating respect for their culture and time. The preferred languages of the participants were taken into consideration, and a team member who was fluent in the local language acted as an interpreter in some cases. The research findings were presented to the respondents and relevant stakeholders for verification before analysis. The Lean Research principles helped develop streamlined questions related to the research, ensuring honest and accurate responses from the respondents. The deployment of Lean Research led to the exploration and understanding of post-harvest losses and vegetable preservation techniques based on the challenges communicated by the stakeholders. The research study went well, but a few challenges were encountered. Optimizing the interview time was a challenge, as most respondents wanted to engage for longer due to the interesting nature of the process. Personal limitations also affected some team members' ability to participate in activities. To address these challenges, the team improvised by replacing an absent team member and maintaining respect for the respondents' involvement. In future work, the team plans to engage additional team members to ensure timely data collection. Periodic appraisals will be conducted to address emerging research challenges. The team will also restructure its activities to ensure discipline and full participation of researchers by matching researchers to roles that effectively build their capacity. For more information, contact Zakariyao Abdul-kawiyu at [email protected] or Team Members Yaw Obeng, Zakariyao Abdul-kawiyu, and Yaw Obeng.