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<p>Damage caused by insect pests during grain storage remains a critical challenge for school feeding programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, threatening food quality and quantity. Although hermetic storage technologies have been widely evaluated under controlled and smallholder farm conditions, there is limited evidence on their performance under real institutional storage environments, particularly in school feeding programmes in Malawi. Therefore, this study assessed the efficacy of three types of hermetic storage bags, compared to insecticide-treated and untreated grains in polypropylene bags over a 9-month period in primary school storehouses. A total of 270 bags of maize and pigeon peas were arranged in a randomized complete block design across three storehouses and monitored every three months to evaluate insect pest density, grain quality [insect-damaged kernels (IDK), discolouration, weight loss] and moisture content. Results showed significantly reduced infestation and deterioration in hermetic bags, which maintained grain quality throughout the storage period. <i>Sitophilus zeamais</i> and <i>Callosobruchus maculatus</i> were the dominant pests in maize and pigeon pea, respectively. Untreated grains in polypropylene bags sustained the highest insect infestation during the 9 months, with <i>S. zeamais</i> in maize and <i>C. maculatus</i> in pigeon pea present in substantial numbers. Grains in hermetic bags had no live insects and the three types of hermetic bags were highly effective. In contrast to hermetic bags which preserved grain quality, untreated grains exhibited considerable quality decline with high levels of IDK and weight loss in both maize and pigeon pea. The study fills a critical evidence gap by evaluating multiple hermetic technologies under real-world school storage conditions and providing the context-specific data to inform institutional grain storage practices. The demonstrated ability of hermetic bags to prevent insect infestation and maintain grain quality provides evidence to inform policy, particularly on their procurement and integration into national school feeding programmes to enhance food and nutrition security.</p>

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Efficacy of hermetic bags in maintaining the quantity and quality of maize and pigeon peas stored in school feeding programme storehouses in Malawi

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月17日

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  • Theresa Nakoma Ngoma,
  • George P. Opit,
  • Shekinat K. Asiwaju-Bello,
  • Tafireyi Chamboko,
  • Jagger J. W. Harvey,
  • Brighton M. Mvumi

摘要

Damage caused by insect pests during grain storage remains a critical challenge for school feeding programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, threatening food quality and quantity. Although hermetic storage technologies have been widely evaluated under controlled and smallholder farm conditions, there is limited evidence on their performance under real institutional storage environments, particularly in school feeding programmes in Malawi. Therefore, this study assessed the efficacy of three types of hermetic storage bags, compared to insecticide-treated and untreated grains in polypropylene bags over a 9-month period in primary school storehouses. A total of 270 bags of maize and pigeon peas were arranged in a randomized complete block design across three storehouses and monitored every three months to evaluate insect pest density, grain quality [insect-damaged kernels (IDK), discolouration, weight loss] and moisture content. Results showed significantly reduced infestation and deterioration in hermetic bags, which maintained grain quality throughout the storage period. Sitophilus zeamais and Callosobruchus maculatus were the dominant pests in maize and pigeon pea, respectively. Untreated grains in polypropylene bags sustained the highest insect infestation during the 9 months, with S. zeamais in maize and C. maculatus in pigeon pea present in substantial numbers. Grains in hermetic bags had no live insects and the three types of hermetic bags were highly effective. In contrast to hermetic bags which preserved grain quality, untreated grains exhibited considerable quality decline with high levels of IDK and weight loss in both maize and pigeon pea. The study fills a critical evidence gap by evaluating multiple hermetic technologies under real-world school storage conditions and providing the context-specific data to inform institutional grain storage practices. The demonstrated ability of hermetic bags to prevent insect infestation and maintain grain quality provides evidence to inform policy, particularly on their procurement and integration into national school feeding programmes to enhance food and nutrition security.