post harvest management in africa issues/opportunities
DESCRIPTION
Growers struggle to produce crops only to have additional losses after they mature. An excessive amount of food loss happens on the farm. Crop losses at household level can range between 30% for grains to 40-50% for root crops, fresh fruits and vegetables, due to insufficient post-harvest practices. Both quantity (weight loss) and quality losses (appearance, taste, texture, and nutritional or economic value) vary in magnitude and occur at all stages in the pre and post-harvest system from harvesting through handling, storage, processing and marketing. Every gram of food saved at household level from post-harvest losses translates into food available for family consumption or sale. Therefore, reducing losses before, during and after harvest can significantly contribute to food security, nutrition, and health.TRANSCRIPT
Post Harvest Management©
Paul Sommers
Session Outline
Part 1- Post Harvest 101: The basics
Part 2: Troubleshooting Post Harvest issues
Part 3: Case Study: Post Harvest Interventions
Who Am I?
• International agricultural development specialist. 35+ years in over 55 countries
• Managed value chain projects where agriculture and nutrition with completely integrated
Core belief: incremental change in partnership with farmers is the key to sustained/genuine progress
Key Messages
• Every gram of food saved at household level from post-harvest losses translates into food available for family consumption or sale
• Understanding key critical control points throughout the crop cycle is essential in developing effective prevention strategies
• Most post harvest improvements are within the current knowledge, skills, and resources of T-2 households
Why is Post Harvest Management Important?
Impacts HH food security/ economic security• Availability of food to HH’s • Access/affordability• Utilization
Spoiled foods can lead to illness and can be fatalListeria, E. coli, Salmonella,(bacteria), Aflatoxin((mold)
Key Messages
• Must be dry.Managing moisture content• Must be healthy . • Must be clean and free from contamination.• Must be free from all stages of insect pests.
Part 2: Post Harvest Issues and Intervention Opportunities
Framework1) Observe each crop throughout the pre and post
production cycle 2) Identify hazards/ quality control issues throughout
the crop cycle3) Identify simple “tweaks” that could make a
difference and improve “value” in terms of quality and safety.
4) Understand potential technical/cultural barriers to change
Simple Testing for Seed Quality
• Germination• Vigor
Key Points
• Interventions must be reflect local socio-economic conditions/ practices and viewed within a value chain lens.
• Understand the season crop cycle and value chain framework. • Support in-ground storage and piecemeal harvesting of root
crops• Build on existing practices. Identify knowledge based
interventions that tweak existing practices (double/triple bagging, ash, off and away from floor and walls)
• Using the above, identify food safety/ food quality nexus points for joint programming with the project’s nutrition component. (Income and nutritional outcomes.) i.e. Aflatoxin as driver for VC improvement
PH Training Manuals
•Prevention of post-harvest food losses for Grains Roots and Tubers : a training
manual
•Prevention of post-harvest food losses fruits, vegetables and root crops a training manual
•Small Grain Storage
•Improved Food Drying and Storage Training Manual
Useful Knowledge Sharing Websites
:
Information Network on Post-harvest Operations
Linkedin Post Harvest Technology Group
AGRILINKS USAID
Food Security Network TOPS
Preventing Post Harvest Loss
Ag-nutrition community of practice
FAO Global Forum on Food Security
Postharvest Education Foundation
