Market building for post-harvest technology through large-scale extension efforts

•Improved cowpea storage technology needed to reach millions of African farmers.•Demonstrations are essential to build demand for new agricultural technologies.•Large-scale activities motivate the private sector to invest in new technologies.•Supply chain development is key to sustainable adoption of a new technology.•In 5 years, more than 2.4 million PICS bags were sold in West and Central Africa.

The Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) technology has been disseminated in 30,896 villages in 10 different countries in West and Central Africa from 2007 to 2012. Extension and supply chain development efforts were required to make the PICS technology available to millions of farmers and other users. Several research and development organizations assisted in awareness building activities to develop the market and increase access. Thousands of village and market demonstrations were implemented by field technicians and supported by media activities. Supply chain development activities were led by the private sector with some support from the project. Overall, 40–70 adults attended demonstrations in each village, among which 38% were women. Large-scale extension activities substantially increased the demand for the technology and helped establish the supply chain. More than 2.4 million triple bags were sold in the first 5 years of the project. In some countries, up to 50% of bags ordered during the first year were bought by farmers; even though village demonstrations had not yet been completed. Market building activities helped convince the private sector that there were business opportunities in buying and selling PICS bags. Bags ordered by the private sector went from 0% in 2007 to 200% in 2010, proving that it is possible to commercialize a new agricultural technology in developing countries in a relatively short time.