AN INITIAL INVESTIGATION OF THE POTENTIAL FOR HERMETIC PURDUE IMPROVED COWPEA STORAGE (PICS) BAGS TO IMPROVE INCOMES FOR MAIZE PRODUCERS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Pests like the larger grain borer (P. truncatus) and the maize weevil (S. zeamis) cause significant storage losses for African maize producers. The value of storage protection to a market-oriented farmer is a function of price seasonality, value loss prevention, and their opportunity costs of capital. Evidence suggests that hermetic technologies like Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags can be effective against these key maize storage pests, but sustainable technology transfer requires that it be profitable for producers. This analysis references dry weight loss figures from key life science articles and builds on previous value loss research to provide a geographic model for potential storage technology adoption. PICS bag profitability with one and two years of use are compared with the profitability of leading insecticides Sofagrain (deltamethrin (0.5%) and pirimiphos-methyl (1.5%)) and Actellic Super (permethrin (0.3%)+ pirimiphos-methyl (1.6%)). Market regions in Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Ghana are analyzed. Results show superior profitability with PICS technology, and high potential for adoption in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana.