PICS BAGS at Agape Innovations.

# The Weevils Were Not Invited to Share Your Harvest

A Ugandan farmer harvests good maize, dries it and fills several ordinary sacks. The family celebrates because the difficult work appears finished.

Three months later, the store sounds suspiciously busy.

Weevils have established offices inside the grain. Powder is collecting beneath the bags. Some kernels are damaged, and the farmer must sell quickly before the problem becomes worse.

The crop survived uncertain rain, weeds, pests and expensive labour—only to meet its final enemy inside the store.

Harvesting is therefore not the end of production. A farmer earns from the grain that remains usable and marketable, not simply from the quantity carried out of the garden.

## Meet PICS Bags from Agape Innovations Limited

[Agape Innovations Limited’s official website](https://agapeinnovations.com/product/pics-bags/) lists **Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags**, commonly known as **PICS Bags**, among its post-harvest products.

PICS Bags are triple-layer hermetic storage bags. They consist of two inner plastic liners protected by an outer woven sack.

When the dry grain is correctly packed and each layer is tied separately, the inner liners create an airtight storage environment. Insects already present in the grain continue using the limited oxygen inside the sealed bag. As oxygen becomes scarce, their feeding, growth and reproduction are restricted.

The system protects grain through airtight storage—not by turning the weevils into polite visitors.

## Why ordinary storage can become expensive

A farmer may see only a few insects when the grain enters storage. Under favourable conditions, however, those insects can reproduce and continue damaging it.

The consequences may include:

* Loss of grain weight
* Damaged or hollow kernels
* Reduced market quality
* Grain powder collecting in the store
* Lower selling prices
* Premature sale when market prices are unfavourable
* Reduced food reserves for the household
* Damage to seed intended for the next planting season

Purdue University describes PICS as a technology developed to help farmers protect dry crops from storage insects. Its guidance identifies maize, beans, sorghum, pigeon peas, groundnuts and rice among the crops that have been stored using the technology. [Read Purdue University’s official PICS guidance](https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-265.pdf).

These are general uses of PICS technology. Customers should still confirm with Agape whether the available bag and current instructions are appropriate for their intended commodity.

## How PICS Bags help

### They create an airtight storage system

The two inner liners are the working heart of the system. When both liners remain undamaged and are properly sealed, they limit the movement of air into the grain.

This is why the bags must be treated carefully. A hole caused by a nail, sharp maize cob, rough floor or hungry rat can interfere with airtight storage.

A PICS Bag may look like a strong sack, but its inner liners should not be handled like a football at a school sports day.

### They do not require storage insecticide inside the bag

Purdue’s official guidance states that insecticide does not need to be added when the PICS system is used correctly.

This can be valuable for households, grain traders, cooperatives and institutions seeking to store grain without mixing it with storage insecticides.

However, “no insecticide required” does not mean “no management required.” The grain must be properly dried and cleaned, the liners must be intact, and all three layers must be correctly tied.

### They can give farmers more control over selling time

Immediately after harvest, many farmers sell because they lack dependable storage. When many sellers enter the market together, prices may be unfavourable.

Better storage can give a farmer more flexibility to decide when to sell. It does not guarantee a higher future price—the market can still misbehave—but it reduces the pressure to sell simply because insects are eating the grain.

### They can protect household food and planting seed

PICS Bags may also be useful for grain reserved for household consumption or future planting.

Purdue advises that grain intended for seed should be sufficiently dry before storage. Seed quality also depends on its condition before storage, crop type, storage duration and handling. A bag cannot restore viability that was already lost before the grain entered it.

## The most important rule: store only properly dried grain

Hermetic storage does not remove excess moisture from wet grain.

If grain is sealed while too moist, mould and deterioration can still occur. Farmers should therefore dry it to the appropriate safe-storage moisture level for the particular crop and verify moisture where possible.

Do not determine dryness only by biting one kernel and announcing, “This one has made a good sound.”

The grain should also be clean. Remove stones, stalk pieces, sharp debris and other materials that could puncture the liners.

If the grain already has insects, it generally does not need to be thrown away merely for that reason; the hermetic system is designed to control storage insects. But visibly mouldy, rotten, chemically contaminated or otherwise unsafe grain should not be treated as good simply because it has entered a PICS Bag.

## How to pack a PICS Bag correctly

Follow the current instructions provided with the bag. Purdue’s general procedure includes these steps:

1. **Inspect the bag before filling.** Confirm that the outer sack and both inner liners are present.

2. **Check both liners carefully.** Do not use a liner with holes, tears or a poorly sealed bottom.

3. **Prepare dry, clean grain.** Remove sharp debris and verify that the grain is dry enough for storage.

4. **Arrange the layers properly.** Place one liner inside the second liner, then position both inside the woven outer sack.

5. **Fill carefully.** Avoid dragging the liners across rough ground or allowing grain to collect between them.

6. **Remove unnecessary air.** Pack the grain firmly without damaging the liners.

7. **Tie the innermost liner first.** Twist it, fold it over and tie it securely.

8. **Tie the second liner separately.** Do not gather both liners into one careless knot.

9. **Tie the outer woven sack.** Each of the three layers must be closed separately.

10. **Label the bag.** Record the crop, variety, quantity, storage date and intended use.

A three-layer bag tied as one layer is not a complete hermetic system. It is three bags attending the same meeting without understanding their individual responsibilities.

## Store the bags properly

Even correctly packed grain needs a suitable store.

Place the bags:

* On pallets or another raised platform
* Away from direct sunlight and excessive heat
* Away from damp floors and leaking roofs
* Slightly away from walls for easier inspection
* Where rodents and livestock cannot reach them
* Where sharp tools, nails and rough surfaces will not damage them

Inspect the store and bags regularly. Look for rodent activity, moisture, damaged outer sacks or anything that may have punctured the liners.

PICS Bags control insects inside properly sealed grain. They are not steel armour against rats, leaking roofs, fire or careless handling.

## Can the bag be opened?

Yes, but every opening allows fresh air into the system and creates another opportunity for insects to become active or enter the grain.

If some grain must be removed, minimize the time the bag remains open. Press out excess air and retie each liner separately and securely.

For households that remove grain frequently, it may be more practical to divide the harvest into several bags rather than opening one large bag every few days.

## Can a PICS Bag be reused?

Purdue indicates that bags may be reused if the liners remain undamaged. Before reuse:

* Empty and inspect every layer
* Look carefully for small holes
* Clean the bag appropriately
* Ensure the liners are completely dry
* Avoid reusing bags contaminated by unsafe materials
* Follow current supplier instructions

The fact that a bag still resembles a bag does not prove that it remains airtight.

## Who should consider PICS Bags?

They may be relevant to:

* Maize farmers
* Bean and cowpea growers
* Groundnut producers
* Rice and sorghum farmers
* Seed growers
* Farmer cooperatives
* Grain traders and aggregators
* Schools and boarding institutions
* Humanitarian food programmes
* NGOs supporting food security
* Agro-input dealers
* Households keeping grain for consumption
* Commercial farms storing produce before sale

The correct decision depends on the crop, grain condition, storage period and management of the store.

## Protect the harvest you have already worked for

Farmers spend months preparing land, purchasing seed, weeding, controlling pests and waiting for harvest. Allowing storage insects to continue eating that investment is an avoidable final defeat.

PICS Bags offer a practical hermetic storage option when genuine bags are selected, grain is properly dried and every layer is sealed correctly.

Contact Agape to confirm current availability, bag size, price and handling instructions. State the crop, estimated quantity, intended storage period and location so that the team can provide suitable guidance.

**Agape Innovations Limited**
**Call/WhatsApp 0771830747 / 0709717844**

**Do not work for an entire season only to appoint weevils as the final owners of your harvest.**