Airtight corn sacks help fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic

As the end of the lean season approaches, things get tricky for many smallholder farmers in sub-​Saharan Africa. It’s the time of year between harvests – the last one was a long time ago, but the next one is not yet due. Supplies are running low, diminished not only by consumption but also by pests. In western Kenya, where corn is a major crop stored on the farm where it is grown, about a quarter of the entire harvest ends up spoiled in this way. If the lean season drags on, food prices shoot up and famine becomes a real threat.

It’s clear that optimised crop storage could help improve food security. In a research project spanning several years, ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the Kenyan research institute icipe are currently investigating how the application of new technology can help change the situation. As part of the study, in late 2019 several thousand smallholder farmers were given airtight storage sacks designed to prevent fungal infestation of their crops. They also received training by the research team. A control group continued to store their corn in conventional polypropylene sacks. What sets the study apart is the survey method. Since mobile phone use is very high in Kenya, as is the case in many African countries, the researchers use text messaging to survey the farmers about their food situation at frequent, regular intervals.