- determine the best design for a one-piece commercially available triple-layer plastic cowpea storage bag;
- disseminate information on non-chemical cowpea storage methods to extension services, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and farmers;
- demonstrate the most effective cowpea storage methods in each village in the major cowpea areas of West and Central Africa; and
- develop a supply chain for triple-layer plastic sacks to make the technology available to farmers and provide opportunities to local businesses.
This project was a joint collaborative effort involving various partners including international agricultural research centers, local and international development NGOs, National Agricultural Research Institutes, government agencies, private entrepreneurs, and farmers. At Purdue, four departments and one unit were involved including Agricultural Economics, Entomology, Food Science, and Youth Development and Agricultural Education and the International Programs in Agriculture. The PICS1 project was funded for $12.0 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.