POSTHARVEST PRACTICES AND LOSS DETERMINANTS FOR INTERVENTIONS AMONG SMALLHOLDER POTATO FARMERS IN TIYO DISTRICT, ARSI ZONE, ETHIOPIA.

Postharvest loss reduction, which will contribute to several sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG 1, 2, 3, 9, 12 and 13, is an important strategy for food and nutrition security. It requires interventions designed based on timely and reliable statistical data. However, lack of produce-specific loss data and associated factors along the postharvest value chain stages remains a challenge to implement appropriate interventions. Therefore, a survey was conducted on socio-demographic characteristics, postharvest practices, extent and causes of losses, and factors influencing postharvest loss of potato crops in Tiyo district of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia in 2022. A multistage sampling method was used to select a total of 209 smallholder potato farming household heads through a combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Quantitative data collection was carried out online using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) by programming a semi-structured questionnaire in KoboCollect software for tablets. Descriptive statistics and ordinal probit regression model were used to analyze the collected data and determinant factors influencing postharvest loss of potatoes at various farm-level stages, respectively. An aggregate of 15-46% loss exists between harvesting and marketing. Losses during harvesting, sorting, cleaning, packaging, field-to-storage transport, storage, and storage-to-market transport were 58.9%, 6.2%, 2.9%, 2.4%, 3.8%, 20.1%, and 5.7%, respectively. Elevated loss during harvesting and storage in the area is likely to reflect poor handling and storage practices. The primary causes of losses were poor harvesting and handling techniques, poor storage facility, and insects and worms. Moreover, regression model estimations of categorical losses, as perceived by farmers, reveal that socio-demographic variables and postharvest factors influenced potato loss. During the harvest stage, working family members significantly (p<0.01) increased loss while years of schooling (p<0.05) significantly reduced loss. In addition, harvesting using leaf color change observation as a criterion had significantly (p<0.01) mitigated potato loss. In storage, female respondents (p<0.05), land size (p<0.05), and lack of training (p<0.1) had accentuated loss. During transport, the age of household reduced (p<0.1) loss whereas farming experience promoted (p<0.1) it. To reduce the existing losses, farmers' awareness should be increased concerning each stage. The study recommends the need for stakeholders' intervention focusing on postharvest knowledge and skill capacity building, demonstration of simple innovative ventilated storage construction using locally available materials, appropriate packaging (such as reusable plastic crates) and transport methods, and simple value addition methods (such as potato drying using indirect solar dryers and potato flour processing for fortifying local cereals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]