Kenya is considering strengthening its agriculture technology in order to increase its farming business. The Kenya government has issued a warning that the lack of post harvest technology has resulted in significant losses in production.
Over the past 10 years, Kenya has seen its mango yields increase to 10 metric tons per hectare.
“The high losses are further aggravated by seasonality with the highest losses recorded during peak season between October to February,” says Ruth Githiga, University of Nairobi lecturer.
The university’s Department of Plant Science and Crop Production reported that the use of post harvest technology could improve the overall shelf life of Kenya’s mangos by inhibiting certain adverse effects of the fruit from forming.
The Kenya government is considering developing storage facilities that would enable growers and buyers to use Information Technology in order see the current status of mango development in the country.
“This is going to be something we in the ministry are looking into and right now the use of technology can be a savior to the mango production,” says Jaime Yongali, a Kenya ministry of agriculture official.
Mango exports from the African continent are worth about $42 million.
By: Janan Yussif
