*3.1.3 Sorting, grading and packaging of maize*

In terms of sorting, grading and packaging of maize in the study area as shown in **Table 1**, 32.14, 17.26, 23.21 and 27.38% rated their participation to be low, moderate, high and no participation respectively. This result indicates that the participation of women farmers in Kogi State in the grading/sorting/packaging of maize was rated low. Sorting and grading are done during threshing of maize whereby, maize grains are winnowed with the lighter grains separated in as it is thrown from the container into the air taking into cognizance the direction of the wind; and bad grains can also be separated from the good ones by hand picking the bad grains as shown in **Figure 3**. However, packaging is done by putting the grains into woollen or polythene bags, while labelling is done by using chalk or ink inscribed on the bag with any sign or words for identification. Indigenous

**Figure 4.** *A woman winnowing and sun drying maize.*

value added products like maize porridge (*ekwo, ogidigbo agidi*) are packaged in banana leaves or other broad leaves that can be folded around the semi-solid porridge. The proportion of the respondents that did not respond may be due to fact that they are used to their indigenous way of grading/sorting/packaging of maize and too, that the improved grading and packaging available may not be cost effective for the farmers. For instance, the improved bagging system (triple bags), at the time of this report were sold at N300 per triple bag as against the N50 per single ones.
