A single insect can destroy a bag of maize. In Ntchisi district, 27–34% of harvested maize was lost every year between harvest and the hunger season — enough to feed the district for six weeks.
A three-way partnership between the cooperative, a local NGO and a private silo operator has cut that number to under 5% in two seasons. The stack: PICS hermetic triple-layer bags for household storage; a shared 100-tonne metal silo at the trading centre; and a rotating loaner pool of moisture meters that farmers use before deciding whether to store or sell.
Cost per household to switch: about USD 18. Payback: one season.