Review on Reducing Postharvest Loss of Stored Grains Using Bio-Pesticides

The current human population of our planet is approximately 7.6 billion, and the number is projected to reach approximately 8.6 billion in 2030, and 9.8 billion in 2050, and about 70% extra food will be required. One of the main challenges regarding food security is postharvest loss due to insect pests. Achieving food security continues to be a challenge as it is affected by a complexity of factors. Increasing the food availability is therefore not only increasing the productivity in agriculture, there is also a need to lower the losses. According to recent studies, the estimated average magnitudes of post-harvest loss in Ethiopia ranges from 15.5 to 27.2% for major grain crops and 23% average loss for all crops. Despite the controversy about their safety, local farmers and agro-wholesalers still predominantly use pesticides in developing countries, especially Africa, to ensure an all-year supply of agro products. Though effective and reliable, several discouraging aspects of synthetic pesticides such as high cost, nonbiodegradability, and the harmful effects on humans and the environment have urged agriculturist to look for an alternative approach that is bio-pesticides are potential alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Sources of bio-pesticides are readily available, easily biodegradable, exhibit various modes of action, less expensive and have low toxicity to humans and non-target organisms. Nevertheless, the understanding of the use of bio-pesticides in storage pest management systems is limited in most parts of sub-Saharan African countries. Effective plants, microorganisms and insect’s products are not formulated and used widely. To fill the gaps, the first step is to synthesize the available information and disseminate it. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of summary of the current developments and improvements of bio-pesticides in the control of stored grain pests including challenges and future issues in insect pest management.

Author(s): Getaneh Abebe

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