Airtight plastic bags can help farmers protect their harvests without the use of harmful chemicals. 
不透气的塑料包装袋有助于在免用有害的化学品的情况下保护农民的收成。

These bags are designed to keep air out of crops in storage. 
这些包装袋就是为了让贮藏的粮食跟空气隔绝。

They are a simple way to fight insects and keep food fresh.
这是个防虫保鲜的简便方法。

Ten countries in West and Central Africa are involved in a project to improve the storage of cowpeas, also known as black-eyed peas.
现有一个豇豆贮存优化项目，涉及到西非和中非共10个国家。

Farmers can lose much of the harvest to insects called bruchids. 
有种叫做豆象的害虫能让农民损失大量的收成。

These grow from egg to adult in a few weeks and then lay 40 to 60 more eggs. 
豆象从虫卵长成成虫只需几周时间，然后会产下40-60甚至更多虫卵。

They can destroy the whole harvest within months.
数月之内，它们就能毁掉全部的收成。

Farmers can sell their crop immediately. 
农民可以立即卖掉。

But selling at harvest time means more competition and lower prices. 
但是在收获季节售粮意味着将面临激烈的竞争和较低的报价。

Or they can use pesticides to kill the bugs. 
或者他们可以使用杀虫剂除虫。

But crop scientist Dieudonne Baributsa says that is also risky.
不过粮食科学家迪厄多内·巴里布查称这样做也有风险。

They end up misusing or overusing the pesticide. 
最终他们会误用或过度使用杀虫剂。

In Nigeria, they have reported a lot of cases of death. 
尼日利亚已经上报了多起死亡事件。

They usually call it in Nigeria 'killer beans.'"
他们当地人常称之为‘杀手豆’。”

Mr. Baributsa is a researcher at Purdue University in the American state of Indiana. 
巴里布查是美国印第安纳普渡大学的研究员。

The project is called PICS, for Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage.
该项目称为“普渡豇豆贮藏优化”（PICS）。

Mr. Baributsa says the storage bags are thick enough that any insects already in the cowpeas will die from a lack of oxygen. 
巴里布查表示，这种贮藏袋很厚，豇豆里已经存在的任何害虫都会缺氧而死。

The lack of air will also help prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi that can ruin the harvest.
由于缺少空气，容易毁坏收成的细菌和真菌的生长也会受到抑制。

"If you go in the market in Africa, you find those bags with a small liner inside, like if you buy sugar and so on. 
迪厄多内·巴里布查说：“在非洲的市场上你会发现那些有小衬里的袋子，你买糖等物品时用的就是这种袋子。

Those are low density, so they are very permeable to oxygen. 
这种袋子密度很低，氧气可以渗透进去。

So if you put your cowpeas in there, they will be destroyed because the insects will still access the air."
你如果将豇豆放到这种袋子里，豇豆就会坏掉，因为害虫仍可以接触到空气。”

The bags cost about $2 each. 
不透气的塑料包装袋大约两美元一个。

Mr. Baributsa says that is not much, especially if it means farmers can wait long enough to get a better price for their crop.
巴里布查称这不算贵，尤其是如果这意味着农民可以耗上足够长的时间，为作物争取一个好价格。

The bags are produced locally. 
这种袋子由当地生产。

Donors currently support the project, but the groups involved are working to build a lasting market for the bags.
该项目目前由捐赠者支持，不过相关团体正在努力为这种袋子打造一个持久性市场。

"With many development projects, what [you do is], you go in the village and you give the farmers the bags. 
很多发展项目都是你到村子里把袋子给农民。

And then once the project ends, that farmer cannot find the bag on the market. 
项目一结束，农民就无法从市场上获得这种袋子。

We feel like that is not a sustainable approach to development."
我们感到这并非可持续的发展途径。

The bags are being advertised by radio and mobile phone videos in local languages.
无线电广播和手机视频正在以本地语言为这种袋子做广告宣传。

The project includes Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mali. 
该项目涉及的国家包括尼日利亚、尼日尔、布基纳法索、加纳和马里，

The other countries are Senegal, Cameroon, Benin, Togo and Chad.
以及塞内加尔、喀麦隆、贝宁、多哥和乍得。

A company based in the United States called GrainPro makes another kind of airtight bag. 
总部位于美国的魁康公司制造了另一款密封袋。

These are called SuperGrainbags. 
这些叫做“超级粮食袋”。

Phil Villers, the company president, says safely storing a harvest not only earns more money for farmers. 
公司总裁菲尔·维勒斯表示安全贮藏粮食不仅可以提高农民收入。

It also reduces the amount of food lost to insects, spoilage and mishandling.
还能减少虫害、粮食腐败及处理不当造成的损失。

"What does not get wasted and eaten means it is available to feed a hungry world."
没有被浪费、也没有被虫子吃掉的粮食意味着可以用来养活一个饥饿的世界。