Evaluating the Effectiveness of Design Interventions in Reducing Post-Harvest Losses Among Tomato Farmers in Kano State

Post-harvest losses in tomato production represent a major source of income erosion for smallholder farmers in Kano State, North West Nigeria, where logistical, packaging, and storage design deficiencies contribute to an estimated forty percent loss of harvested volume before reaching end consumers. This study empirically evaluates the effectiveness of a package of design interventions, comprising an improved reusable harvest crate, a ventilated cold-store shelter design, and a graded packaging system for market distribution, in reducing post-harvest losses among tomato farmers in Kura and Rano local government areas. A quasi-experimental design assigns thirty intervention and thirty control farm households to receive or not receive the design package, with baseline and endline data collected on harvest-to-market loss volumes, spoilage timing, and market price achieved. Quantitative loss assessments use weight-based measurement at four points in the postharvest chain over two growing seasons. Qualitative data collected through focus groups and interviews with thirty farmers and ten market middlemen document perceived usability, adoption barriers, and market reception of packaged produce. Endline findings show a statistically significant thirty-one percent reduction in post-harvest losses in the intervention group compared to eight percent in the control group over the same period. Market price premium for graded packaged tomatoes averages seventeen percent above ungraded produce. The study recommends scale-up through the Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority with complementary training in crate maintenance and grading standards. Keywords: post-harvest loss, tomato farming, design intervention, Kano State, agricultural packaging.