Reduction of post-harvest loss could have a major positive impact on increasing the affordability and accessibility of nutrient-dense fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. While technologies to do so exist, their financial viability for the firms that would need to adopt them has not always been clear.
Reducing post-harvest loss is one promising way to make nutritious foods more available, accessible, and affordable - all while improving the environmental sustainability of the food system. While viable technologies to reduce loss exist, they have limited uptake, particularly in low- and- middle income countries (LMICs).
Recognising that the problem of food loss in the fish value chain cannot be tackled in siloes and requires coordinated action, the Indonesia Postharvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition (I-PLAN) was created in 2018 to bring together the expertise and resources of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and a diverse range of business, academic and civil society organisations.
Food loss is a big challenge in Indonesia, with loss of nutritious fresh fish particularly significant. Indonesia is ranked second in the world for food loss1, suffering a yearly loss of approximately 13 million tons2, equating to 300 kg per person per year and comprising about 20% of agricultural crops and 30%3 of fisheries products.
In countries where the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) main offices are located, tomatoes vary in abundance - with the average supply from approximately one tenth of a medium-sized (60g) tomato per person per week in Ethiopia, to four medium-sized tomatoes per person per week in India, and up to 12 medium-sized tomatoes per person per week in the US.
Based on an external assessment, this working paper summarises PLAN’s work in Nigeria (N-PLAN) and Indonesia (I-PLAN), impacts to date, and key learnings. The assessment indicated that PLAN has helped create influential networks, allowing diverse stakeholders to work together to address common issues related to post-harvest loss.
In 2016, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and its partners spotted a gap in postharvest loss interventions targeted to a) nutritious foods and b) working in the supply chain beyond the farm. The Postharvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition (PLAN) was launched in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, 40–50% of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost during crating, transportation, storage and processing. In the tomato sector, for instance, it is estimated that more than 40% of tomato production does not reach consumers. One of the main reasons for this massive waste is the lack of a temperature-controlled supply chain— known as cold chain which prevents fresh foods from spoiling between farm and market.
This report describes a randomized controlled trial among groundnut farmers in northern Ghana designed to test the impact of two approaches to encouraging adoption of post-harvest practices for the reduction of aflatoxins. Results indicate that simply training farmers and making tools for aflatoxin prevention available has a significant impact on post-harvest practices.
This research brief provides the key findings from a study commissioned by GAIN'S Postharvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition to conduct a landscape analysis to better understand the dried tomato production and market in Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to elicit information on socio-economic characteristics of selectors processors, traders, and consumers.
