{"id":18305,"date":"2026-06-20T13:04:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T13:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/empowering-farmers-to-save-every-grain-iita-trains-extension-agents-on-management-of-post-harvest-losses-and-aflatoxin-control-in-maize\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:49:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:49:05","slug":"empowering-farmers-to-save-every-grain-iita-trains-extension-agents-on-management-of-post-harvest-losses-and-aflatoxin-control-in-maize","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/empowering-farmers-to-save-every-grain-iita-trains-extension-agents-on-management-of-post-harvest-losses-and-aflatoxin-control-in-maize\/","title":{"rendered":"Empowering farmers to save every grain: IITA trains extension agents on management of post-harvest losses and aflatoxin control in maize"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><figure id=\"attachment_33545\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33545\" style=\"width: 820px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33545 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PHRDG-training.png\" alt=\"Participants of the PHRDG training\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33545\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants of the PHRDG training<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a renewed effort to combat post-harvest losses and ensure safe food systems, IITA-CGIAR, and the TAAT Clearinghouse in collaboration with SASAKAWA Africa Association, has trained extension agents and maize lead farmers on improved post-harvest handling, grain quality, and aflatoxin management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two-day workshop, held on 9\u201310 October 2025, at the Agricultural Development Program (ADP) office in Lafia, Nasarawa state, brought together field officers, researchers, farmers, and development partners to strengthen their capacity in adequate storage and grain quality management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><figure id=\"attachment_33546\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33546\" style=\"width: 820px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33546 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Participants-during-the-PHRDG.png\" alt=\"Participants during the PHRDG training\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33546\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants during the PHRDG training<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking during a presentation, Reuben Solomon, a senior research support officer and post-harvest specialist at IITA Kano, emphasized that post-harvest losses remain a significant bottleneck in Africa\u2019s food value chain. \u201cWe invest heavily in production, but much is lost between the farm and the table,\u201d he said, adding that technologies like hermetic storage and biological control can change that narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Highlighting the science behind maize quality, Gregory Nwaoliwe,\u00a0 food nutritionist at IITA Ibadan, explained that maintaining grain quality begins in the field. He urged farmers to harvest their grains promptly, dry them properly, and store them in clean, airtight containers to maintain both nutritional value and market quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><figure id=\"attachment_33547\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33547\" style=\"width: 820px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33547 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Reuben-Solomon.png\" alt=\"Reuben Solomon training farmers on Aflatoxin control in maize\" width=\"820\" height=\"411\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33547\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Reuben Solomon training farmers on Aflatoxin control in maize<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Solomon provided insight into the scale of losses in Sub-Saharan Africa, estimated to be between 20% and 30%, and introduced participants to Aflasafe. This IITA-developed biocontrol product protects maize from aflatoxin contamination. He also demonstrated safe drying, sorting, and hermetic storage techniques, including the use of the Cocoon storage system and the application of Diatomaceous Earth for pest control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Participants described the training as highly beneficial. \u201cI learned new techniques that I will pass on to farmers in my community,\u201d said Muhammad Musa Arume, one of the attending extension agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The workshop concluded with a call from Dr Adeoti Razack, a TAAT Consultant with IITA Benin, for ongoing farmer sensitization and the adoption of innovative post-harvest technologies to safeguard Nigeria\u2019s maize sector and promote food safety across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Contributed by Sarah Sallau<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a renewed effort to combat post-harvest losses and ensure safe food systems, IITA-CGIAR, and the TAAT Clearinghouse in collaboration with SASAKAWA Africa Association, has trained extension agents and maize lead farmers on improved post-harvest handling, grain quality, and aflatoxin management<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":18306,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[32],"news-type":[],"hub":[61],"crop":[68],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[203],"class_list":["post-18305","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-nigeria","hub-western-africa","crop-maize","item-year-203"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/18305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news-item"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/18305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19643,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-item\/18305\/revisions\/19643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"science-area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/science-area?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"hub","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"crop","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/crop?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"impact-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/impact-areas?post=18305"},{"taxonomy":"item-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/item-year?post=18305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}