Adoption and impacts of improved post-harvest technologies on food security and welfare of maize-farming households in Tanzania: a comparative assessment

Abstract During the last decade, post-harvest losses (PHL) reduction has been topping agenda of governments as a pathway for addressing food security, poverty, and nutrition challenges in Africa. Using survey data from 579 households, we investigated factors that affect farmers’ decisions to adopt technologies: mechanized shelling, drying tarpaulins, airtight storage validated reducing PHL Tanzania’s maize-based systems, impacts on households’ security welfare. Mechanized shelling addressed labor issue, while tarpaulins product quality quantity concerns. The results revealed large farm sizes location higher production potential zones (proxies scale) neighbors' use technologies universal drivers adoption. Access credit off-farm income were unique determinants storage, group membership increased probability adopting tarpaulin storage. have positive welfare: significantly availability (18–27%), access (24–26%), household incomes (112–155%), whereas improved total expenditures by 49% 68%, respectively. share expenditure decreased 42%, 11%, 51% among tarpaulin, adopter signaling significant improvements reductions vulnerability. point need policy support enhance adoption these technologies, knowledge sharing farmers, financial resources investments technologies.