The document discusses the logistical challenges of post-harvest handling and marketing of matooke bananas in Uganda, highlighting their significance as a staple crop. It identifies issues such as spoilage, poor transportation infrastructure, and waste management, while also offering solutions through innovative preservation techniques. The research demonstrates that proper treatment can extend the shelf life of matooke and reduce waste, suggesting the establishment of rural industries for processing to enhance efficiency in food distribution.

1. Logistical Problems of
Post-harvest Food
Handling and Marketing
in Africa: A Case Study
of Matooke in Uganda.
G.W.Byarugaba-Bazirake1 and 2W. Byarugaba,M.Tumusiime1
Kyambogo University1 Makerere University2

2. Definitions
• Logistics: the careful organization of a
complicated activity so that it happens in a
successful and effective way.
• Matooke:the cooking type of bananas
• Website:www.frevasema.org

3. Introduction
• Bananas(matooke) constitute a very important
staple crop in Uganda, and are being grown by
75% of the country’s farmers on 40% of the total
arable land. It is a cash crop in south western
and central regions and contributes 8-22% of the
rural revenue .
•

4. Introduction (cont’d)
• The triploid, Musa acuminata East African highland
cultivar (AAA-EA genotype) locally known as matooke
predominates banana production in Uganda and
provides major food for over 7 million people including
two thirds of the urban population. Bananas are so
important in Uganda so much so that in some parts of
the country the word “matooke” means both “banana”
and “food” and the crop contributes about 35% of total
food consumption expenditure.
• The Uganda’s per capita consumption of bananas
ranges between 220kg and 460 kg per year according
This banana per capita consumption is the highest in the
world.

5. Introduction (continued)
The demand and supply of matooke in urban areas has come with associated
problems of:
• Discoloration due to enzymatic reactions and oxidation after peel
• inefficient transportation(40% waste) with undesired bulk
• garbage accumulation (over 500 ton/day) in Kampala.
• Costs high ($7/ton ) to dispose garbage (KCC).
• Perishability-short post-harvest shelf-life.
• Soil nutrients depletion from banana plantation due to:
1. Poor agrarian management systems
2. Transportation of waste which would serve as manure to urban areas

6. Banana by-product utilization
• Production of:
• Biogas
• Vinegar
• Enriched animal feeds
• Charcoal briquettes
• Fiber-biodegradable (textile,bags)
• Manure,mulch,etc.
•

7. Growing Matooke

8. Some of the banana plantations
Healthy Plantations
(Courtesy –ASARECA)

9. PLANTATION THAT LACKS MULCHES

10. Well maintained bananas

11. GOOD HARVEST FROM MULCHED (STALKS & PEELS)
PLANTATION

13. Matooke Bulk Marketing
problems
• They include:
1. Poor (road network) infrastructure
2. High fuel prices for transporting trucks
3. Weak reconditioned trucks
4. Lack of organised markets
5. Quick spoilage of raw food materials
6. Lack of value-addition technologies

14. BULK TRANSPORTATION OF MATOOKE
(40% Waste of peels and stalks)

16. DMC Transporting pick-up

17. READY TO TRANSPORT BANANA FINGERS

18. Innovation Objectives
The technological approach objectives were to:
1. inactivate enzymes responsible for browning (oxidation)
of peeled matooke.
2. preserve and prolong shelf life of the peeled matooke as
a food stuff.
3. reduce transportation load that is very bulky

19. Material & Methods
• Sodium metabisulphite was purchased from “Desbro” (food grade chemical
dealers) in Industrial area,Kampala, vacuum sealer (Micromark, UK) was
obtained from Midway Technologies,Kampala,. The jaws hand peeler
type(ED MARK, Malaysia) machines were purchased from Lugogo at the
International Trade Fair,2007 and the transparent non-permeable vacuum
sealable plastic packaging materials were procured from Shoprite,
Kampala.

20. Methods
• The research work was done at the Uganda Industrial Research
Institute(UIRI),Kampala. In the experimental study, the matooke were sorted,
weighed and peeled using jaws hand peelers . They were washed in treated tap
water and grouped into two categories. Category 1 was immersed in sodium
metabisulphite –distilled water solution (1000 ppm) for 30 seconds to inactivate
enzymes responsible for browning and serve as antimicrobial agent, drained in a
stainless steel metal-mesh with reciprocated agitation for 5 minutes, vacuum sealed
and labeled. Category 2 was just drained (untreated) and not vacuum sealed .
The products were stored at chilling temperatures (100C)and set for further
observations.

21. Results
• Approximately 60% of the matooke was obtained after peeling .They were stored
under chilled conditions.
• The vacuum sealed matooke remained fresh as desired by the consumers for 10
days.
• The untreated matooke (control) turned brown after a few minutes and had moulds
grown on them on the fourth day of storage(shelf-life).
• The banana waste was returned to rural areas profitable utilization as manure,
livestock feeds, fuel (biogas) source and for inoculation of starter cultures useful in
vinegar production.

22. Fungal growth on the peeled
matooke
Fig. 1:Fungal growth on peeled bananas stored under chilled conditions
180
160
140
120
Fungi (CFU)
100
Fungal growth on untreated matooke(cfu)
Fungal growth on treated matooke (cfu)
80
60
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Storage period(Days)

23. Results (cont’d)
• The results presented(Fig.1) showed that
matooke can be processed & preserved
into a food stuff that is convenient to
prepare with prolonged shelf life (10 days).
• Bananas can be transported from rural
areas to the user ends at reduced
logistical expenses by prior peeling to
eliminate averagely 40% of waste.

24. Conclusions
• Waste products can be used as manure to
fertilize and replenish matooke plantations
besides supplementary usage like biogas
production and formulation of animal feeds.
• ,Rural based industries should be set up to
process and solve the logistical problems
involved in bulky post harvested food handling
in Africa.

25. IPR,promotion &marketing
• Patent certificate-2009
• www.frevasema.org
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• ECSA 80 RADIOS
• Institutions, hotels,restuarants & hhomes
• Diaspora-USA, UK,S .Sudan, Dubai with
appreciation

26. HAND-MACHINE PEELING TECH.

27. Peeling matooke

28. TREATMENT(ANTIMICROBIAL &
DICOLORATION)

32. Biogas from peels burning

36. US FDA Certificate

38. Kyambogo University Graduation Feb.
2011
The Vice Chancellor’s Tour of
FREVASEMA Stall

41. Kyambogo University
Graduation Feb. 2011
The Vice Chancellor’s Tour of
FREVASEMA Stall

46. FRESH MATOOKE PACKS