Reducing Post-harvest Losses in Developing Nations

Abstract

In developing countries, food losses occur primarily upstream of industrial food processing and sales and marketing, between the farm and commercial processors or distributors. These “post-harvest” losses are generally kept to a minimum in developed countries and the relatively high-tech agricultural systems of emerging economies. Nevertheless, they cover a wide range of extremely diverse situations linked to type of agriculture, climate, degree of sophistication and organisation of agri-food processing systems, and of course to the crops produced. This diversity makes quantifying losses and understanding their multiple causes difficult and a one-size-fits-all solution will therefore not do. The organisation of food systems in many developing countries is evolving rapidly under the influence, notably, of increasingly urban lifestyles based on western models: markets and small-scale retailers selling local products are losing ground to large retail chains on the outskirts of cities with increasingly diverse suppliers including at international level. Simultaneously, there is a growing trend in eating outside of the home in urban settings (snack bars, cafeterias and “maquis”—informal, makeshift eating establishments popular in Africa that also serve as a forum for exchange, a place for people to meet, etc.).

Annex

Estimation of weight loss of stocks (in %) for different grain crops in different climates, adjusted to 9-month storage periods and the average consumer household [28].

Species/Climate	Scale of farming	Variety	Estimated loss
Ears of maize with Prostephanus truncatus infestation
Aw	Small-scale	Local	9.7
Bsh	Large-scale	Local	2.7
	Small-scale	Local	13.3
Cwa/Aw	Large-scale	Local	2.1
	Small-scale	Local	10.0
Ears of maize without Prostephanus truncatus infestation
Aw	Small-scale	Local	5.3
Bsh	Small-scale	Local	4.3
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	3.5
	Small-scale	Hybrid	9.5
Maize kernels with Prostephanus truncatus infestation
Aw	Small-scale	Local	5.4
Bsh	Small-scale	Local	3.3
Aw	Small-scale	Local	5.4
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	4.2
Sorghum seeds
Bsh/Bwh	Small-scale	Local	2.5
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	3.9
Sorghum panicles
Aw	Small-scale	Local	2.8
	Small-scale	Improved	11.0
Millet
Bsh	Small-scale	Local	1.1
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	1.3
Wheat
Bsh	Small-scale	Local	3.1
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	5.8
Barley
Cwa/Cwb	Small-scale	Local	0.8
Rice
Aw	Small-scale	1.2
Bsh	Small-scale	0.1
Cwa	Small-scale	0.4
Teff
Cwa	Small-scale	Local	0.3

1. Definition of climate zones: Aw: tropical savanna; Bsh: semi-arid/arid; Bwh: hot desert; Cwa: temperate with dry winters and hot summers; Cwb: temperate with dry winters and mild summers