Hermetic Bags for Safe Storage of Wheat

Low-cost storage technologies for grain

Hermetic bags technology is a triple layer hermetic storage bag which has an outer woven polypropylene bag and two inner bags of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The inner bags have very low gas permeability and are water repellent. The outer bag has the strength to handle the weight of the grain it contains. Hermetic bags are tight bags that preserve the contents while restricting the existence of cereal pests by depleting oxygen supply levels and producing carbon dioxide.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive high

Under 18: Positive medium

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

Large post-harvest losses of wheat due to improper storage techniques and pest infestation.
Immediate sale of grains after harvest at low market prices to avoid risk.
Damage by insects such as beetles, weevils, moths, mites, and borers.
Development of fungi that contaminate the grain.
Loss of grain quality, taste, and color.
Difficulty in preserving grains under hot and humid weather conditions.
Common storage losses exceeding 25%.
Inadequate safeguards in current storage techniques used by farmers, traders, and food manufacturers.

Solution

Prevention of post-harvest losses due to improper storage techniques and pest infestation.
Ability to store grains for up to two years while retaining quality.
Preservation of grain quality, taste, and color.
Prevention of damage by insects such as beetles, weevils, moths, mites, and borers.
Inhibition of fungal growth and mycotoxin build-up.
Reduction in cooking time compared to grains stored using traditional methods.
Compatibility with the operations of both commercial and small-scale growers and processors.
Low cost of storage bags and reusability.
Suitability for regions with poor road networks and distant markets and processing industries.

Key points to design your project

In this section, you will soon find important information to assist you in incorporating this technology into your project. We will present how technology can impact gender, climate, and sustainable development goals. We will provide a list of activities to plan for your project, a toolkit for optimizing the technology, suggestions for key partners, and communication tools about the technology.

In the meantime, use the 'Request information' button if you need to contact us.

IP

Unknown

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 8 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: tested

Level of use 7 out of 9

Common use by projects NOT connected to technology provider

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension (ENSURE)

Project funder: African Development Bank & East Africa Community
Planned Budget: USD 13.14 million
Location: East African Community (Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda)
Planned duration: 2024–2027
Deployment means: On-farm demonstrations, training, digital tools (SMS, IVR, video, radio, pictorial guides), bundled inputs + advisory services, Training of Trainers (ToT)
Project main implementer: East African Community (EAC)
Project Description: Strengthen agricultural extension systems using digital tools, private-sector approaches, regional coordination, and multi-commodity focus (maize, cassava, rice, drought-resilient crops).
Objective: Promote regional extension, enhance advisory services, scale climate-smart technologies, build sustainable private sector–led extension systems, strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks.
Expected outcome: Increased adoption of improved technologies, improved farmer productivity and profitability, enhanced access to quality inputs and pest management solutions, strengthened resilience to climate and pest risks, regional market integration, job creation for youth and agripreneurs.
Figures of adoption: Target 3 million farmers reached over 4 years, digital extension pilots in 7 EAC states, training of extension agents, lead farmers, cooperatives, and youth agripreneurs, rollout of Pest Information Management Systems (PIMS).
Profiles of adopters: Smallholder farmers, women, youth agripreneurs, cooperatives and producer organizations, public and private extension agents, National Plant Protection Officers (NPPOs).
Lessons learnt: System-level approaches needed beyond technology delivery, digital tools most effective with in-person facilitation, supportive policy/regulatory environment critical, regional harmonization boosts scalability and cross-border diffusion of technologies.

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Grain Drying: Threshed grains are dried to an appropriate moisture level.
Initial Bagging: Place the dried grains into high-density polyethylene bags with a capacity of 50 kg or 100 kg. The first bag should be filled completely, leaving a 20-30 cm neck allowance, and tie it securely.
Secondary Bagging: The neck of the second bag, which surrounds the inner bag containing the grain, is also tied securely.
Tertiary Bagging: Place these two bags into a third woven nylon or polypropylene bag and tie it securely.
Sealing Process: The hermetic bagging process can be done entirely by hand or with automated fill and seal machines.
Storage: Using this method, wheat grain can be preserved for up to 2 years.
Rodent Control: It's essential to keep rats, mice, squirrels, and other rodents away from the stored bags as they can chew through the different layers, breaking the hermetic protective environment.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09DYuLJtgNs&list=PLwEB9ze7-lMloguZPrQxc6Xi027Mql4OW&t=85s