Accelerating adoption: UoN leads successful farmer training workshop to cut Post-Harvest Losses

KENYA – The University of Nairobi (UoN) in partnership with FreshGuard Technologies, a Kenyan youth-led agritech social enterprise, successfully trained smallholder horticulture farmers on affordable cooling and handling solutions to reduce Post-Harvest Losses (PHL) and boost incomes.

The day-long workshop took place on Friday, August 8, 2025, at the Faculty of Agriculture, Upper Kabete Campus.

Organized by FreshGuard Technologies through its training and awareness arm, FreshGuard Academy and funded by Global Changemakers, the workshop aimed to equip farmers with practical, replicable skills to apply on farm-level.

The workshop brought together 25 Trainer-of-Trainers (ToTs) representing horticulture farmer groups from Kiambu County and other Nairobi neighboring farming counties drawn from the networks of Wingfarm and Green Initiative Kakuma, alongside other industry stakeholders, for a training themed “Reducing Post-Harvest Losses through Smart Handling, Cooling and Market Access.”

With a focus on vegetables, the sessions combined classroom learning and hands-on demonstrations.

Prof. Jane Ambuko, Professor of Horticulture and Postharvest Specialist at the University of Nairobi and the sessions’ lead trainer, walked participants through evidence-based practices before guiding them through demonstrations at the University’s Fresh Produce Aggregation and Distribution Hub and Processing Hub.

 “Each Kenyan throws away approximately 99 kilograms of food annually,” Prof. Ambuko said, citing a 2021 UNEP report. “Post-harvest loss is not just a farm problem, it’s a national food security and economic challenge. Temperature management, from harvest to consumption, is critical. Every 10°C increase in produce temperature can accelerate deterioration two to three times.”

Prof. Ambuko highlighted affordable technologies such as evaporative charcoal coolers, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and their combined use with examples showing how combined use can keep vegetables fresh for up to a month.

Participants learned the difference between food loss (occurring from production to retail) and food waste (at retail and consumption stages) and how pre-harvest, harvest, and initial handling practices all influence shelf life.

The practical demonstrations also included low-cost value addition techniques to extend shelf life. Participants learned blanching and drying methods using the University’s solar-powered tunnel dryer and Dehytray system, both designed to process vegetables efficiently without compromising safety and quality.

Market awareness and standards

While the training did not include full compliance instruction, the workshop created awareness on existing market standards both locally and globally.

Farmers learned why meeting requirements such as KS1758 standards, obtaining export licenses and phytosanitary certification matters for market access, both locally and globally, in a session led by Brian Matoke, Category Manager – Fresh Produce at Greenspoon B-Corp Limited.

“One day is not enough to comprehensively train on the existing market standards,” said Fridah Chepkoech, Co-Founder and Project Lead at FreshGuard Academy. “KS1758 alone can take up to two weeks or more to cover and is a continuous process, sometimes requiring visits to the farm by the specialists. We plan to include that in our next steps.”

Exporters push for better trade conditions

The training came as exporters, through the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK), pressed for key trade reforms at the 5th Presidential Roundtable on Trade and Industry hosted by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) in Nairobi.

FPEAK raised concerns about limited cargo space during peak seasons, high export costs from duties and charges, and unpredictable taxes. “The duty on Kraft paper and the UCR charges have significantly increased costs for exporters,” a representative said. President William Ruto instructed the Trade Ministry and the National Treasury to fast-track solutions.

The meeting also discussed market access, with calls for reciprocal trade agreements with China, India, Canada, and Turkey. County-level levies on export crops were flagged, with the President promising to address the matter at the upcoming Intergovernmental Forum.

While the EU remains Kenya’s largest horticulture market, exporters are working to expand into Asia, North America, and the Middle East to spread market risk. 

The workshop’s closing session captured reflections from participants, many of whom said the training shifted their view of post-harvest management from being “a costly, exporter-only affair” to something achievable on small farms.

“Our goal is to make sure farmers don’t just hear about innovations, they see them, try them, and take them home,” said Victor Atsali, Co-founder and Lead Engineer at FreshGuard Technologies. “If we can save even a fraction of the food currently lost after harvest, we’re not only improving farmer incomes but also contributing to national food security and climate resilience.”

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