<h3>Why Storage Matters</h3><p>After harvesting, crops must be stored properly or they spoil. Good <strong>post-harvest storage</strong> protects food from moisture, pests, rodents and mould, keeping it safe and valuable until it is eaten or sold.</p><h3>Storing Grains</h3><p>Grains such as maize, beans, sorghum and millet must first be <strong>dried</strong> to a low moisture content. They are then stored in clean, dry, airtight containers — traditional granaries, metal silos, or hermetic (airtight) bags — protected from rodents and weevils. Damp grain can develop a mould that produces <strong>aflatoxin</strong>, a dangerous poison, so thorough drying is essential.</p><h3>Storing Perishables</h3><p>Perishable foods such as milk, fruits and leafy vegetables spoil quickly. They are kept <strong>cool</strong>, used quickly, or preserved by drying, salting, refrigeration or making them into longer-lasting products.</p><h3>Simple Food Processing</h3><p>Processing turns raw produce into useful foods. Flour mixed with the right amount of water forms two basic mixtures: a stiff <strong>dough</strong> (used for chapati, bread and mandazi) and a thin, pourable <strong>batter</strong> (used for pancakes and some snacks). Other examples include turning milk into <em>mala</em> (fermented milk) and tomatoes into sauce.</p><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> After the maize harvest in counties like Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu, farmers increasingly use <em>hermetic PICS bags</em> that seal out air, killing weevils without chemicals and preventing aflatoxin. A well-stored bag of maize can be sold months later when prices rise, paid for conveniently through M-Pesa.</div>