Tomato processing .

Tomatoes are healthy fruits with massive health benefits as they are rich in lycopene, a carotenoid with antioxidant properties, which is responsible for the deep red color of tomatoes. Food rich in lycopene will give antioxidant and is often associated with boosting our immune system by removing free radicals from our bodies thus decreasing the risk of stroke, lowering our bad cholesterol levels and preventing artery hardening. The tomato market is large and a lot needs to be done to prevent the losses currently experienced from farm to market. Investors in the chain can actually tap into value addition in the form of processing the fruit into other products that are also equally beneficial in terms of health and wealth. This is how to process tomatoes to extend shelf-life to increase profit and cut waste.

Agribusiness: How to stop post harvest losses.

How to reduce losses after harvesting vegetables. Agribusiness has grown in leaps and bounds  globally. over the years. The most common vegetables and fruits grown  include kale, lettuce, cabbages, potatoes, carrots, onions, cucumber, broccoli, beans, peas, avocado, mangoes, oranges and others. 

 

These fruits and vegetables tend to get damaged when being harvested, while being handled, during storage, processing, packaging, transportation and marketing. They are delicate and tend to lose water even after being harvested.  Post harvest losses.

This causes the veggies  to  lose color and  weight, affecting the appearance and therefore the market value. To reduce  post harvest losses after harvesting vegetables, consider the following points

1) Avoid exposing harvested vegetables to high and low temperatures  kale, cabbages and any other leafy vegetable are made of thin leaves that when exposed to heat dry out quickly acquiring a yellowish color with moldy spots. 

Juicy fruits  tend to dry up quicker when exposed to heat. 

Keep your fruits and vegetables in a cool, dry place with good air conditioning. MORE

Agriculture: farming robots and food security.

Robotics has been incorporated to livestock and general farming to increase productivity and also increase revenue by preventing losses.Africa needs to embrace more of technology-based agriculture to produce more and ensure food security. 

 Africa needs to make greater investments in science and technology to become more efficient and competitive in agriculture, says the African Development Bank (AfDB). 

According to the Bank, science and technology are critical in transforming the agriculture industry from one that manages rural poverty to a wealth creating sector. “There cannot be a secure Africa unless we first and foremost revive the rural economies. 

We must turn these areas into zones of economic prosperity. And for that to happen, we must transform the main source of livelihoods – agriculture – into a wealth-creating sector,” said Dr Adesina. The use of robots in agriculture will not only guarantee more harvest,but smart production methods.

 New agricultural practices such as hydroponics farming, biocrops and selective breeding will not only ensure food security but provide more jobs. read more