Level 6 · Part 3
Pests and cleanliness
A clean, tight, inspected store keeps rats, insects and birds out.
Rats, mice, insects and birds can ruin stock quickly. Prevention is cheaper than treatment, and a clean, well-kept store is your first defence.
- Clean the store before each new batch and remove old product, spills and waste.
- Do not store food next to fuel, chemicals, animals or rubbish.
- Close holes and gaps, and keep doors and windows in good repair.
- Keep product in closed containers or packs where it is practical.
- Inspect regularly, and write down what you find, including signs of pests.
- Use the oldest stock first (see part 4), so nothing sits for too long.
Be careful with chemicals
Do not apply pesticides or fumigants to stored food by yourself. Some are dangerous to people and are not allowed on food. If you think you need a treatment, ask an extension officer, a plant-protection service or another official source what is permitted and safe in your country.
Exercise 6.3 · A store inspection checklist
- Write a checklist of ten things to look at each time you inspect your store: roof, floor, walls, doors, stock, packs, signs of pests, smells, cleanliness, records.
- Do the inspection once and write down what you find.
- Choose the first three problems to fix and decide who will do it.
Background reading for this part:
- Value from village processing (Diversification booklet 4) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Peter Fellows