MITIGATING POSTHARVEST LOSSES IN CUCUMBER PRODUCTION: X-RAYING THE CAUSES, DRIVERS, AND COPING MECHANISMS AMONG SMALLHOLDERS

Food losses resulting from poor post-harvest management hamper achieving the sustainable development goal of zero hunger and improved food security in most developing countries. There is thus a need to understand the underlying causes and factors influencing postharvest losses among farmers to reduce postharvest losses. The study examined the primary and secondary causes of postharvest losses, the extent of postharvest losses, the drivers, and the mitigation strategies. A multistage sampling procedure was used in the selection of 200 respondents. Primary data was collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Square regression. The results of the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers indicated that the majority (54.0%) were female, with mean age, education, household size, and monthly income of 45.15 years, 11.88 years, six persons, and ₦129,400 ($180.57), respectively. The major primary and secondary causes of postharvest losses were pathogens and pests (89%) and poor road networks (x̄ = 4.5), respectively. About 41% reported a postharvest loss of between 21% and 50% of cucumber. The drivers of postharvest losses were off-farm income, harvest time after maturity, household size, the quantity of cucumber produced, and market distance. The major mitigation strategies devised by the respondents to reduce postharvest losses include timely harvesting, improved handling and transportation techniques, and adopting improved pest and disease management practices. The findings of this study suggest that improving road networks, especially those connecting farmers to the markets, would significantly reduce post-harvest losses.