Research on the measurement of post-harvest losses

Download or read book Research on the measurement of post-harvest losses written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2021-08-06 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The reduction of agricultural losses, especially among smallholder farmers, should be an essential component of food security strategies in developing countries. Loss reduction strategies should be informed by evidence on optimal loss levels, or the point below which loss reduction efforts become economically unviable, characterized by reduction costs greater than benefits. Information on minimum losses can help provide a benchmark for farm management, formulation of policies, and investment decisions. This study connects information on minimum losses with farming practices or production technologies, to help in assessing the effectiveness of loss reduction practices and of the underlying policies and incentives that promote them. While most empirical research and data collection activities on losses tend to focus on average losses, this paper provides evidence on minimum losses levels for several commodities and regions of the world.