Realizing that onion traders in Kano state lose up to 50% of their produce due to poor storage, SAA, through the Kano State Agro- Agropastoral Development Project (KSADP), introduced the Aerated Onion Storage Technology (AOST) in 2022 to replace the less-effective traditional onion storage systems.

A recent assessment found that AOST reduced losses to 11% of stored products, in comparison to traditional onion storage systems, which had an average loss of 24%. During the pilot, each system stored 1.4 tons of onions, treated identically before storage for four months. The reduction in loss using AOST means that farmers save an additional 190 kg of onions for every ton stored.

This positive outcome underscores the potential benefits and scalability of AOSTs. A wider implementation could support more traders, enhancing the resilience of the onion value chain in Kano state.

Retrieved from SAA E-Newsletter, issued in February 2024, titled "Transforming Food Systems in Nigeria"