(Ecofin Agency) - Gathered for a conference to assess gains of the YieldWise initiative by the Rockfeller foundation, experts said last Wednesday that Africa’s food imports could explode if the continent failed to solve its post-harvest losses issue.

The experts said that if nothing was done, food imports by the continent, currently at $35 million per year, could soar to $110 billion by 2025. “Most of the crops are lost at farm level due to poor handling, lack of storage and lack of market access,” said Rockfeller Foundation managing director Africa Mamadou Biteye.

Bad post-harvest practices alone cost Africa 20% of its yield. However experts say there is still hope mentioning progress registered in Tanzania and Kenya where small farmers were taught new ways of handling harvested crops.

“Kenyan farmers in Makueni have increased their volumes to the market to 200 metric tonnes from 100 metric tonnes after applying technologies in pesticide use, crop care, hygienic harvesting techniques and refrigeration of mangoes,” Biteye said

Aaron Akinocho