Shared Action Africa Empowering Refugee Women Farmers in Nakivale Settlement where Harvesting and post harvesting Training Transformed Esperance’s Harvest Preservation.
In Nakivale Settlement, refugee women farmers are gaining vital skills to protect their harvests, and they have expressed their appreciation for Shared Action Africa. Through specialized training, women like Mujareshema Esperance have learned effective harvesting and post-harvesting techniques to prevent yield losses caused by weevils and spoilage.
Previously, Esperance struggled to store her beans and maize, often losing a substantial portion of the same before finding buyers. However, with new knowledge on proper drying, granary use, and storage methods, she is now confident in preserving her produce and increasing her profits. This initiative is transforming post harvest handling practices among refugee women, empowering them to achieve food security and financial stability.
“I am from Nyakagando B and a member of Umoja savings group. I used to lose my harvest to weevils, which would attack the seeds and spoil them before I could find a buyer. As a result, all my efforts would go to waste. However, I have now acquired skills on how to protect my seeds from weevil attacks,” Mukashema said.
Esperance expressed her gratitude to Shared Action Africa for the training provided on post-harvesting agriculture techniques, where she acquired valuable skills.
“We have learned how to store our agricultural products without them getting damaged. I have been practicing agriculture for a long time, but I was not making much profits. I would harvest my beans and maize, store them, and within a few days, weevils would attack the yields, hence causing loses. Sometimes, the seeds would even rot during storage. Shared Action Africa has trained us on the use of granaries, how to properly dry the hearvested crops using taurplins, and ensure they are well dried before storage. We have also learned how to use bags with polyethylene lining, which prevents weevil infestations. Additionally, we were taught to use pallets to store our bags, protecting the seeds from rotting. I am confident that this time, I will profit from my beans and maize because I am going to follow the recommended techniques and apply the knowledge acquired from the training,” said Esperance.