Awareness and Utilisation of Solar Food Drying Technology in Zambia: A Case Study of Traders of Dried Fruits and Vegetables at Lusaka City and Soweto Markets

Ikisiri

This research was set out to explore the levels of awareness and utilisation of solar food drying technology in Zambia. The overall research problem addressed was that despite the availability of solar food drying technology, which could reduce the current high post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables, the technology was not widely used on a commercial basis in Zambia. To achieve the objectives, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from three sets of populations, namely, traders of dried fruits and vegetables at Lusaka City and Soweto Markets, ordinary people on the streets of Lusaka, and supermarkets that sold dried fruits and vegetables. The research findings have indicated the following: 1) the main method of drying for the dried vegetables sold at Lusaka City and Soweto Markets was open sun drying; 2) almost all the traders of dried vegetables at Lusaka City and Soweto Markets were not aware of solar food drying technology; 3) there exists a market for dried vegetables at Lusaka City and Soweto Markets and Pumpkin leaves was the most traded vegetable; and 4) local people from the streets of Lusaka were interested in dried vegetables but did not buy dried fruits. It was concluded that the low utilisation of solar food drying technology was due to a lack of information about what the technology does and its benefits to potential users, such as traders and farmers of fruits and vegetables. This implies that Zambia may not fully utilise the opportunities that are currently available to export dried fruits and vegetables due to limitations of the open sun drying method that is currently widely used. The situation, therefore, requires drastic measures from both the Government and the Private Sector to disseminate solar food drying technology