Post harvesting Activities

Back to: Pre Vocational Studies Primary 5

Welcome to class!

Hello, my bright student! It’s wonderful to have you back for another exciting lesson. Today, we’re going to talk about “post-harvesting activities.” These are all the things a farmer does after the crops have been harvested. It’s like what happens after you’ve picked the fruits from a tree or dug up the yams from the ground. Let’s begin!

Post harvesting Activities

We’ve learned about harvesting activities, which are the actions taken to collect the mature crops. Now, post-harvesting activities are the steps taken to prepare those crops for consumption, sale, or storage. These activities are very important for preventing spoilage and ensuring that the crops maintain their quality.

Here are some key post-harvesting activities:

1. Cleaning: After harvesting, crops may be dirty or have debris like soil, leaves, or stones attached to them. Cleaning removes this debris to improve the quality and appearance of the crops. This can be done by hand, using water, or with specialized cleaning equipment. It’s like washing fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
2. Sorting and Grading: Sorting involves separating the crops based on their size, shape, and quality. Grading involves classifying the crops into different grades based on certain standards. This helps to ensure that customers receive consistent quality and can also affect the price of the crops. It’s like sorting your toys by type or color.
3. Drying: Many crops, especially grains like rice and maize, need to be dried after harvesting to reduce their moisture content. This prevents them from spoiling during storage. Drying can be done by spreading the crops in the sun or using mechanical dryers. It’s like drying your clothes after washing them.
4. Processing: Some crops need to be processed before they can be consumed or sold. This might involve shelling (removing the outer covering), milling (grinding into flour), or other processes. For example, rice is often milled to remove the husk and bran. Cassava is processed into different forms like garri or fufu. It’s like turning raw ingredients into a cooked meal.
5. Storage: Proper storage is essential for preserving the quality of harvested crops. Different crops have different storage requirements. Some need to be stored in cool, dry places, while others need to be refrigerated or frozen. Proper storage prevents spoilage, pest infestation, and other forms of damage. It’s like keeping your books on a shelf to protect them from damage.
6. Packaging: Packaging involves putting the crops into containers for transportation and sale. Packaging protects the crops from damage during transport and also provides information to consumers. Different types of packaging are used for different crops, such as bags, boxes, or crates. It’s like putting your lunch in a lunchbox to carry to school.

Let’s use some examples:

• Rice: After harvesting, rice is cleaned to remove dirt and stones. It is then dried in the sun to reduce its moisture content. Finally, it is milled to remove the husk and bran, and then packaged into bags for sale.
• Tomatoes: After harvesting, tomatoes are sorted and graded based on their size and ripeness. They are then packaged into boxes or crates for transportation to markets.
• Cassava: After harvesting, cassava is peeled, washed, and then processed into different forms like garri or fufu.

Summary 

So, to summarize, post-harvesting activities are all the things a farmer does after harvesting their crops to prepare them for consumption, sale, or storage. These include cleaning, sorting and grading, drying, processing, storage, and packaging.

Evaluation 

1. Can you name three post-harvesting activities? 
2. Can you explain why drying is important for some crops? 

Excellent! You’re doing a fantastic job! I’m so proud of your learning. 

We have come to the end of this lesson.

In the next class, we shall be talking about Simple sewing tools and equipments.

In case you require further assistance or have any questions, feel free to ask in the comment section below, and trust us to respond as soon as possible. See you in the next class!

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