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POST-HARVEST LOSSES:DISCOVERING THE FULL STORY

Overview of the Phenomenon of Losses During the Post-harvest System






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    Reducing Food Loss through Improved Post-Harvest Management in Ethiopia - GCP/ETH/099/SWI 2025
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    Ethiopia loses a significant amount of food due to poor post-harvest management practices and technology. A post-harvest loss assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2017 in four major producing regions of the country indicated that the average post-harvest loss of cereals and pulses ranges from 25 to 35 percent. For this reason, the Government of Ethiopia sought assistance from FAO to strengthen post-harvest management and storage practices as a means of combatting post harvest losses. This project built upon the results of a Phase I project, GCP/ETH/084/SWI. The Phase II project focused on maize, wheat, sorghum, haricot and fava beans, as well as chickpeas, and was implemented in the five regional states of the country: South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, Oromia, Amhara and Sidama.
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    Supporting the Attainment of Food Security through the Reduction of Post-Harvest Losses in Horticultural Crops – TCP/BOT/3901 2025
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    The project successfully contributed to enhancing food security through improved post-harvest management of horticultural produce. Addressing key inefficiencies in the value chain laid the foundation for reducing PHL and fostering the adoption of best practices among stakeholders. The project introduced technical solutions that were new to the beneficiaries and stakeholders. The raising of awareness on post-harvest management issues, development of survey tools, training on survey methodology, data analysis and reporting, as well as Training of Trainers (ToT) on post-harvest technology, are some of the technical expertise provided through the project. A baseline study was conducted to assess the extent of PHL, identifying critical intervention points. Findings revealed losses ranging from 9.2 percent to 17.3 percent, with on farm losses being the highest. These insights guided targeted training efforts aimed at farmers and extension officers, ensuring that capacity-building initiatives directly addressed the most pressing challenges. In total, 242 individuals, including 192 farmers and 50 extension officers, were trained in post-harvest management, equipping them with practical knowledge and skills to minimize losses. To ensure a structured and evidence-based approach, a technical working group (TWG) comprising experts from horticulture, plant health, academia and research institutions was established. This group played a pivotal role in shaping project activities, from developing survey tools to analysing findings and validating results. Additionally, a nationwide survey was conducted across various sectors, including farms, markets, schools and processing facilities. The data collected provided a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to PHL, informing the design of effective mitigation strategies.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    Guidelines on the measurement of harvest and post-harvest losses
    Findings from the field test on estimating harvest and post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Mexico. Field test report
    2020
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    This technical report provides findings of field test conducted in identified states/districts/ municipalities/study area in Mexico on the basis of sampling methodology for estimation of post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) developed by the team led by Dr. Tauqueer Ahmad, Head, Division of Sample Surveys, Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, Institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IASRI) ICAR-IASRI, New Delhi, India. The Technical Report entitled “Findings from the field test conducted on estimating post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables in Mexico” contains details of findings of the developed methodology implemented in Mexico, including challenges encountered and lessons learnt. It is expected that this report will help the users from different countries in designing surveys for measurement of post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables).

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