Research Blog
Reducing Food Losses Requires More Than Technology
Jan Broeze and Joost Snels
Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen University and Research, The NetherlandsGeneration of food losses differs greatly in low-income versus medium- to high-income countries. In low-income countries, over 40% of the food losses occur at post-harvest and processing, while in high-income countries more than 40% of the food losses happen at retail and consumer levels (FAO, 2011). In total, low-income countries account for 44% of the food loss and waste (Lipinski et al., 2013). In low-income countries, food losses in the first stages of the food supply chain (i.e., production, handling and storage, and processing) are substantially higher than in high-income countries, where most of the food losses occur at the end of the food chain.
Lessons Learned from the YieldWise Experience in the Kenyan Mango Sector: Initial Findings
Sonka, Shah, Wormald, and Agarwal
Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets: University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business
Consortium for Innovation in Post-Harvest Loss & Food Waste Reduction
This report identifies ten “lessons learned” arising from the YieldWise intervention conducted in the Kenyan mango sector. These initial findings are based upon intensive qualitative interviews, held early in 2019, with stakeholders from throughout the sector. The findings emphasize the value of a more comprehensive approach when attempting to understand the contribution of development interventions. A key premise of the YieldWise effort is that effective interventions need to extend beyond technology provision to be effective in reducing post-harvest loss. The lessons learned which are described here provide strong support for that perspective.