While fulfilling the impact of increasing food demand on a growing population, we must pay attention to the effect of a series of crises, including climate risks, the Covid-19 pandemic, and postharvest loss. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that each year, the world loses a third of food produced for human consumption. At the same time, Africa faces extreme estimates, with over 30% losses occurring from production to consumption.

Reducing postharvest losses could be a sustainable solution to increase food availability and ensure farmers have access to adequate nutrition. The quest for reduced postharvest loss calls for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure farmers have access to a wide range of services from knowledge to finance and technology. It is also paramount that these services and innovations are tailor-made to suit their farming needs.

This month, our top 10 reads spotlight the opportunities and strategies for mitigating food loss.

Stopping Quality Food Loss In Sub-Saharan Africa: Post-COVID-19 Options for Smallholders

The direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa’s food security has hugely exposed the vulnerabilities of Africa’s food system while also weakening the control measures put in place. This article outlines the strategies governments can use to reduce postharvest losses and boost economies’ post-pandemic recovery.

Africa Cannot Afford Postharvest Losses; Needs Policies and Technologies to Strengthen Food Security

In this discussion, a panel of experts speaking at a webinar hosted by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) sheds light on the need for national governments and regional bodies to adopt effective policies and technology-driven interventions to reduce postharvest losses stifling food security in Africa.

How To Reduce Postharvest Crop Losses in The Agricultural Supply Chain

Cutting postharvest waste could translate to cost savings for producers along the value chain. This article considers the extent of global postharvest losses and proposes steps stakeholders could take to reduce waste.

Ice-Cold Innovation to Reduce Postharvest Losses

Prof. Jane Ambuko, Associate Professor of Horticulture and 2013 AWARD Fellow, shares her vision of mitigating postharvest loss in Kenya and Africa through collaborative efforts. She established a low-cost cold storage technique to enable smallholder horticulture farmers to preserve their products for extended periods.

Reducing Postharvest Losses During Storage of Grain Crops to Strengthen Food Security in Developing Countries

This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of grain postharvest losses in developing countries and the status and causes of storage losses. It brings into perspective the technological interventions to reduce these losses.

Postharvest Food Losses Pose a Serious Threat To Food Security

In Africa, most food loss occurs in the early stages of the food value chain. This article highlights the dangers of postharvest loss to agricultural productivity, especially on smallholder farmers, and the potential impact of reducing postharvest loss to value chain actors, especially women who are traditionally responsible for many postharvest activities.

Reducing Food Loss and Waste: Five Challenges For Policy and Research

This paper identifies policy-relevant information gaps, summarizes recent research that tries to fill these gaps, and identifies five challenges for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in reducing food loss and waste.

Unpacking Postharvest Losses in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Meta-Analysis

Reducing postharvest losses is a crucial pathway to food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper reveals the inadequacies of loss assessment methodologies that result in inaccurate postharvest loss estimates.

Making Africa’s Food Supply Chain Work

This article highlights four areas entrepreneurs must participate in to improve Africa’s food supply chain to mitigate postharvest loss and bridge the gaps in food distribution which could bring significant stakeholders to action.

Gendering Postharvest Loss Research: Responsibilities of Women and Men to Manage Maize after Harvest in Southwestern Ethiopia

This study reveals the link between women’s role in decision-making at home and access to quality food. Without gendering postharvest loss research, gender harms may be enacted when women’s livelihoods are impacted in reducing postharvest losses, thus compromising food security.