Simple and Effective Drying and Storage of Seeds and Horticultural Products for Developing World Farmers

Delivering improved seeds to smallholder farmers in the developing world is an efficient and sustainable method of increasing crop yields and quality. Unlike fertilizers, pesticides and equipment, seeds can be produced locally for distribution to farmers or self-saved. Furthermore, improved varieties of horticultural crops often reduce dependence on synthetic pesticides, improve food safety, reduce preand post-harvest losses and fetch higher prices in the market. However, the benefits that developing world farmers accrue from improved varieties can depend on their local systems for seed drying and storage. Without proper storage conditions, seeds can rapidly lose viability, resulting in poor crop establishment, lack of uniformity, reduced yields and poor marketability. Farmers’ experience with poor seed performance lowers their incentive to invest in genetically improved seeds and stymies development of breeding and seed marketing systems for more productive horticultural varieties. On the other hand, farmer confidence in the quality of purchased seeds and in their ability to store them safely will strengthen local seed markets and increase yields and incomes.