Postharvest loss affects food security and global resources, with one-third of food lost annually. Learn how pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest losses impact developing regions and what measures can reduce hunger and waste.
According to Wikipedia, grains can be lost at various stages: pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest.
- Pre-harvest losses occur before harvesting begins, often caused by pests, weeds, or diseases.
- Harvest losses take place during the harvesting process and are typically due to grain shattering.
- Post-harvest losses happen between the completion of harvest and the point of human consumption. These include on-farm losses during threshing, winnowing, and drying, as well as losses throughout transportation, storage, and processing.
In many developing regions, particularly Africa, post-harvest losses during storage are significant, especially when grain is stored for personal use or while farmers await better market prices.
Impact of Postharvest Loss[edit | edit source]
The ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss (University of Illinois) emphasizes the critical global concern of post-harvest loss as the world's population grows and resources such as land, water, and energy become increasingly scarce. According to the FAO’s 2011 report, Global Food Losses and Food Waste, about one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally—approximately 1.3 billion tons per year. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, post-harvest grain losses are valued at $4 billion annually, an amount that could meet the minimum food requirements for 48 million people.
Without innovation and improved practices, these losses will continue to rise, further straining global food security and resource availability.
Governments and organizations must understand the extent and causes of post-harvest losses to implement effective solutions. Without this knowledge, the issue will remain unresolved, affecting human livelihoods and the environment.
In 2009, the World Bank reported that 1.4 billion people were living below the international poverty line (US $1.25/day). Reducing post-harvest losses—especially in staple crops essential to low-income populations—could have a significant impact on global hunger and poverty reduction. In developing countries, post-harvest losses are much higher than in developed regions like the US, making international investments in loss reduction far more impactful than domestic efforts.
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- Wikipedia: Post-harvest losses (grains)
- ADM Institue for the Prevention of Postharvest loss (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne)
