PRE AND POSTHARVEST HANDLING PRACTICES OF GROUNDNUT IN KAKAMEGA, BUSIA AND BUNGOMA COUNTIES OF WESTERN KENYA

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food crop in western Kenya. However, pre- and postharvest handling practices of groundnuts in the region is largely unknown, and postharvest losses are high, over 30%. This study investigated pre- and postharvest handling practices of groundnuts in Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega counties of Kenya. Data was collected through structured interviews with farmers in Bungoma (n=93), Busia (n=83) and Kakamega Counties (n=158). The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The main pre-harvest management technologies were weed management (47.1%), pest and disease management (23.5%), and selecting the right variety and seed (17.6%). Maturity indices for harvesting groundnut were browning of leaves (88.6%), random checks by digging (38.1%) and length of growing time (10.9%). Groundnut harvesting was mainly done by uprooting the whole plant (60.4%), using hand hoe (39.6%). Harvested groundnut was sun-dried on tarpaulins (90.1%) and on bare soil (10.4%). The groundnut was mainly stored unshelled (83.2%), with a minor portion (17.8%) stored in shelled state and 0.5% ground into flour. Threshing was done manually using bare hands and fingers (99.0%) and hitting bagged groundnut with sticks (1.0%). The shelled groundnut was winnowed and stored (67.3%) and a few farmers (17.8%) graded before storage. There are various reasons why the groundnut is discarded during sorting and grading, these include; mechanical damage (20.3%), pests and disease damage (35.1%), immaturity (23.8%), small size (37.1%) and deformed nuts (35.1%). The discarded groundnut was mainly fed to poultry (46.0%), thrown away (44.6%) and used as manure (9.9%). The groundnut is mainly stored in gunny bags (85.6%). Understanding of postharvest handling practices of groundnut would help to devise appropriate interventions for enhancing the contribution of the groundnuts to food security of smallholder farmers in the region.