The paper asserts that cowpea is a major nutritional legume in
West Africa and that the grain experiences great losses at
postharvest stages especially at storage. It posits that hermetic
storage which the PICS is one of have proved to be a very successful
storage option for cowpea storage without the use of agro chemicals
but that there are daunting problems with its utilization. The study
revealed among others that having outlets where the PICS can be
bought(29%), making the PICS cheaper (45%), convince grain
merchants that the PICS is more effective than regular storage
bags(19%), and lastly forcing it on grain merchants by government
would lead to more usage of the PICS (7%). Based on the opinion of
the cowpea merchants it was recommended that the selling price of
the PICS be reviewed downwards, and that there should be a
massive enlightenment campaign for the use of the PICS; advantages
of the PICS over regular bags and how to use the PICS should be
demonstrated in all grain markets in the region by extension bodies
both public and private.