Climate Smart Dry Chain for Food and Nutrition Security in Nepal
In: Strategic planning for energy and the environment
ISSN: 1546-0126
Global efforts to feed the burgeoning population have focused on increasingfood production and access. In the meantime, FAO estimates about 1/3 foodloss in the developing countries. To minimize these losses, grain storagetechniques were investigated in an earthquake hit village in Kavre district ofNepal. Pesticide free moisture proof/airtight food storage bags were providedto 1,055 households using financial s upport f rom U NICEF-Nepal. Thirty-three households were identified w ho c ould s tore f ood g rains f or 6-monthfor this study. Maize and rice grains were stored in porous and in moisture-proof hermetic bags. Food grain samples were collected at the beginning andat 6-month and were analyzed for physical quality parameters, nutrients andmycotoxins. About 92% insect damage occurred in maize stored in porousbags which was prevented in triple layer hermetic Purdue Improved CowpeaStorage (PICS) bags. Insect damage in paddy remained low within 10% inboth treatments. Major maize nutrient loss occurred through insect damage.The traditional practice was to use insect and mold infested maize as feed.Mycotoxins results showed that toxigenic molds develop in open storage