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Phase: Ideas Missions: Storage and Processing

POST-HARVEST PROCESSING OF GRAINS AND FRUITS USING FERMENTATION TECHNOLOGY TO GET ADDED VALUE PRODUCTS WITH LONGER SHELF LIFE

Using beneficial bacteria and fungi, farmers can produce value added products from their crops hence improve their health and income.

Photo of Japhet Sekenya
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EXPLAIN YOUR IDEA

Post-harvest processing of crops such as cereals and fruits will surely add value to crops and at the same time increase the income made by small scale farmers since they will be able to add value to their crops and extend shelf life of their processed goods. Most crops facing waste and spoilage issues can easily be processed using limited resources and machines, and therefore farmers in such sector have two major options they can go for; 1. Small scale farmers can choose to collaborate to install semi automatic machines which are affordable and use them along with fermentation technology to add value to their crops before going to the market, in that case farmers will solve the challenge of food waste and spoilage at the same time have more valuable products with extended shelf life. 2. Farmers can choose to have partnerships with food processors, which will guarantee them a sustainable market for their harvests though we still have a limited number of food processors in Tanzania and most of developing countries, realizing this opportunity I started Biofood Tech Enterprise to help small scale farmers dealing with cereal cultivation from market challenges and food waste and spoilage. My idea involves the use of fermentation technology to solve the challenge of food waste and spoilage, in this technology, small scale farmers use beneficial bacteria and fungi to add value to their crops before going to the market .

WHO BENEFITS?

With this idea, the following groups will benefit 1. Small scale farmers will benefit by producing highly valuable, nutritious products with longer shelf life. 2. Food processors will benefit by getting constant supply of raw materials if they choose to have partnerships with small scale farmers 3. People with health problems such as lactose intolerance will start having alternative options if farmers start processing their crops

WHERE WILL YOUR IDEA BE IMPLEMENTED?

My project will be implemented in Tanzania to begin with, but it will expand to other East African counties such as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi

ARE YOU IMPLEMENTING IN AN ELIGIBLE COUNTRY?

  • Yes

EXPERTISE IN SECTOR

  • I’ve worked in a sector related to my idea for over a year

EXPERIENCE IN IMPLEMENTATION COUNTRY(IES)

  • Yes, for more than one year.

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOU!

Japhet Sekenya is a startup CEO of Biofood Tech Enterprise(www.biofoodtechtz.wordpress.com) graduated with honors degree in Molecular biology and Biotechnology, a background in social entrepreneurship, won TANZICT Innovation Award, UDSM Research Award, TEEP Award and finalist of African Entr Award

Non dairy probiotic drink (Karangayogo) from the blend of peanuts and mango using the application of beneficial bacteria, the availability of beneficial microorganisms in this product makes it ideal substitution for milk hence better option for lactose intolerant and vegans, it also contains reveratrol and bio antioxidants, therefore highly nutritious for consumers. Fermentation technology can be taught to farmers to allow them to add value to their harvests hence avoid waste and spoilage.

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Photo of Shane Zhao
Team

Great to have you onboard! We notice your post is currently unpublished. Was this your intention? We'd love to have it included on the challenge. If you decide you'd like it included, you can publish it by hitting the Publish Entry up there at the top of your post. Or update it first by hitting the Edit Contribution button. Looking forward to seeing more of you on conversations across this challenge...

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Photo of Shane Zhao
Team

This is an interesting approach Japhet. Have you tested this idea with small-scale farmers beyond the production of Karangayogo? What might be some first steps you'll take to make this post-harvest fermentation process more accessible to small-scale farmers in Tanzania? 

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Photo of Japhet Sekenya
Team

Hello Shane,
Yes, I have tested it with small scale farmers and karangayogo is actually the product of such initiative, we started with peanut since it's one of the highly wasted product in this region due to fungi spoilage but we hope to expand to other crops once proven effective in this phase.
We first start with training, to educate small scale farmers on the use and how fermentation  technology can be used in adding value and extending the shelf life of their harvests, after that, we start mobilizing available resources which are useful in implementing the second phase (actual fermentation process).
Note: Some of the resources can be innovated to fit the economical and social capacity of small scale farmers such as machines and cultures used for the process.

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