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

Project adoption2

Technology integrated in the CREW, and ENSURE projects.

See project details ›

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

Inadequate Grain Storage: Existing storage practices provide insufficient protection for wheat, particularly under hot and humid conditions that favor pest multiplication.
Pest and Fungal Damage: Insects and microorganisms can infest stored wheat, causing grain damage and fungal contamination.
High Post-Harvest Losses: Inadequate storage can result in losses exceeding 25%, reducing the amount and quality of locally produced wheat available after harvest.
Pressure for Immediate Sales: Storage risks can lead farmers to sell wheat immediately after harvest when prices are lowest, limiting their ability to retain grain for later use or sale.

Solution

Improved Grain Storage: Hermetic bags provide airtight storage that protects wheat under both dry and humid external conditions.
Reduced Pest and Fungal Damage: Restricted gas exchange limits insect infestation and fungal growth, protecting stored wheat from biological deterioration.
Reduced Post-Harvest Losses: Hermetic storage can reduce post-harvest losses by up to 90%, increasing the quantity and quality of locally produced wheat retained after harvest.
Extended Grain Availability: Wheat can be safely stored for up to two years, supporting longer availability of grain beyond the harvest period.

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

Project	Countries	Beneficiaries	Budget (USD) & duration	Key figures
CREW Climate Resilient Wheat Value Chain Development Project	Ethiopia	Direct: 2,300,000	94.30 million 2023–2028	4 t/ha increase in wheat production 528 water pumps installed 50,000 farmer hubs equipped with laboratories 23,092 ha irrigation systems rehabilitated
ENSURE Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension	Kenya Rwanda Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo South Sudan Uganda Tanzania	Direct: 3,000,000	13.14 million 2024–2027	149,940 farmers trained 9,996 Training 2→3.5 tons/ha cereals production expected 350 agent trained

Project

Countries

Beneficiaries

Budget (USD) & duration

Key figures

CREW
Climate Resilient Wheat Value Chain Development Project

Ethiopia

Direct: 2,300,000

94.30 million

2023–2028

4 t/ha increase in wheat production
528 water pumps installed
50,000 farmer hubs equipped with laboratories
23,092 ha irrigation systems rehabilitated

ENSURE
Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension

Kenya
Rwanda
Burundi
Democratic Republic of the Congo
South Sudan
Uganda
Tanzania

Direct: 3,000,000

13.14 million

2024–2027

149,940 farmers trained
9,996 Training
2→3.5 tons/ha cereals production expected
350 agent trained

Figures in italic are from project plans and may change during implementation.

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