The government of Ghana is collaborating with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to develop technologies to mitigate post-harvest losses.

The Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering of the university has been tasked by the government to develop technologies to preserve yam and plantain.

Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr George Oduro said yam samples have been given to the department which has begun work on the project.

He was speaking at the media launch of the Agric Machinery and Input Fair 2019 scheduled for 18 to 21 September 2019, to be held at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Mr Oduro noted that yam and plantain are perishable goods and need to be preserved so that their shelf life could be extended as a means of reducing post-harvest losses.

“That's why we are trying to eliminate and that's why we've brought in the Agric Engineering Department to help eliminate this problem”, he said.

Mr Oduro said the government is trying to extend the shelf life of yam to between six and eight months “and we've given it to them [KNUST], and the report is supposed to be ready in the next three months”.

“We've been there and we are monitoring their report day in and day out and it's encouraging,” he said.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM