Assignment No.

02

Presented To:

Engr. Dr. Zia-Ul-Haq

Presented By:

Moiz Ahmed Khan

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Human being used cereal grains as a staple food for the last 10,000 years. Evidence shows that
ancient civilizations produced cereal grains and stored it to have food supply during period of
scarcity. This is about the time when man began to raise and domesticate plants and animals
for food.

A. Importance of Cereal Grains:

Wheat, rice, and maize are the three most important cereal grains used as staple food in the
world. In Pakistan, wheat is the principal source of the daily calories and protein intake of the
population with the balance coming from animal sources. In the Far East and South East Asian
countries, rice is the principal calorie source while meat and fish is the principal source of their
protein intake. Meanwhile, in many Latin American countries, maize is the principal source of
their calorie intake and meat is the main source of their protein daily intake.

B. Food Preservation:
In the prehistoric period of agriculture, our ancestors observed that dry grains stored longer
than wet grains. They also learned that insects and animals destroyed their crop both in the
field and in storage Based on their experiences, they devised primitive control measures to
protect their food supply like using jars (Figure 1.1) to store their food grain. However, it was
only in the last century that we learned more about the environment and how to control it.
Major advancements in grain production and grain-conservation occurred only in the last 50
years. This came about after the so-called green revolution era.

In spite of our increased knowledge both in grain production and conservation, we continue to
lose grains from production to consumption. This condition is particularly more severe in
developing countries than in-developed economies. For this reason many countries launched
programs specifically to reduce grain losses in developing countries. Many countries now
realize that tons of grain saved are tons of grain not to import. In some, countries, the level of
losses represents the difference between having adequate and inadequate food supply.

From postharvest loss assessment studies many countries also realized that the factors causing
their grain losses are similar with those in neighboring countries. This realization led to the
formation of regional cooperative postharvest grain storage programs in Asia, Southeast Asia,
Latin America, and Africa. Two examples are the ASEAN. Grains Postharvest Program and the
Association of Food Marketing Agencies in Asia and Pacific.

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C. The Food Grain Cycle:
Regardless of the technology that exists in a country, providing food requires the same
activities from land preparation to marketing of grains. The diagram in Figure 1.2 shows the
entire series of activities from production to marketing of food and feed grains. Each of the
various activities determine the quality and quantity of grain available to the end users. Social
scientists and engineers continue to study critical areas in grain production and post-production
activities. They identify the factors that determine the success or failure of food systems. Their
findings help planners of donor agencies prepare technical food aid programs for Third World
countries to become self-sufficient in cereal grains. They includes Programs on how to conserve
what they produce by means of improved handling and food storage technologies. In the early
1970s, development programs focused heavily on reducing the gap between production and
consumption. This focus continued on into the 1980s.

FIGURE 1: DIAGRAM OF FOOD GRAIN CYCLE

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D. Important Factors in Cereal Production:
1. Agricultural System – Studies show that methods of planting climatic conditions, and land
ownership contribute to grain losses. As an example, cereal grains grown in rainfed areas
have the tendency to shatter because of low moisture contents at harvest. Methods of
harvesting, handling, and transporting also contribute to grain postharvest losses. On the
other hand, under tropical climatic conditions, the grains may start to sprout while waiting
threshing in the fields.
2. Research and Development – To minimize these types of losses, scientists continue to
develop varieties of rice and wheat that resist shattering and have a longer dormancy
period. They also developed varieties that can resist pest and diseases. Meanwhile, some
innovative agricultural engineers tried to develop a grain stripping machine to harvest
grains without cutting the plant. However, the grain stripper was impractical to use and left
many unharvested grains in the fields. They then shifted their attention and succeeded in
developing machines like the reaper and the portable thresher. Both machines are now very
popular in many developing countries today like in Pakistan and China. The combine is also
a harvesting machine that is gaining popularity in many developing countries like Pakistan
and Thailand. Thailand is now on the verge of developing its own combine suitable for use
in wetland conditions. It is much lighter than their counterparts in Europe or the U.S. and
simple in design for ease of local fabrication.
3. Technology Transfer – The introduction of the high yielding varieties of grains during the
Green Revolution in the 1960's increased grain production worldwide. The rapid increase
grain production strained the traditional methods of handling, storage, and marketing of
grains. However, in trying to strengthen a link in the entire food chain other links, begun to
show their weakness. The higher productivity gave rise to the so-called second-generation
problems in the grain industry. This included the need for better methods of grain handling,
drying, storage, and processing. However, modern grain processing and protection
technology require higher technical skills to use them. Hence, research, training and
extension are necessary components in the successful adoption of improved grain
postharvest technology. There is a need to search for answers and continue in training
personnel involved in grain handling and storage. As an example, insects constantly change
their response to chemical control measures thus requiring new methods of control.
Advances in electronics and chemistry provide new technologies applicable in the grain
industry. Similarly, new grain varieties may require different handling, processing, and
storage techniques in the future. Thus required new cadre of storage managers and
marketing specialists.

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Review Question:
1) What factor contribute to grain postharvest losses?
2) What gave rise to the so-called Second-generation problems?
3) Enumerate three major postharvest problems in your locality.
4) Why are training and extension programs so important in the grain industry?

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