Farmers Review Africa Sept/Oct 2019 Farmers Review Africa September - October 2019 dig | Page 27

By way of distinction, food losses occur in
the production chain and hit small farmers in
developing countries the hardest. The Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 30-
40 percent of total production can be lost before
it reaches the market, due to problems ranging
from spillage to lack of proper post-harvest
storage, processing or transportation facilities.
These losses can be as high as 45 per cent for root
crops, fruits and vegetables, 30 per cent for cereals,
35 per cent for fish, and 20 per cent for meat.
Not applying the right seeds, irrigation, pruning
and crop protection leads to immense losses. A
significant proportion of agricultural products are
not harvested or are harvested too early or too late.
Strengthening the supply chain through the direct
support of farmers and investments in infrastructure,
transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food
and packaging industry could help to reduce the
amount of food loss and waste.
Annual food losses for fruits and vegetables in
sub-Saharan Africa are estimated at 40 to 50 per
cent. Around half are lost between agricultural
production, post-harvest handling, processing,
distribution, and consumption. Shockingly, over
80 per cent of fruit and vegetable waste comes
after the farmer has grown the fruit or vegetable
and before the consumer purchases it.
In addition to poor market access and other
related factors, a major cause of this loss is the
lack of refrigeration available to food farmers in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Off-grid, solar powered cool storage is an area
of particular interest for those looking at how
to reduce food loss in developing countries, as
this solution can help preserve perishable foods.
Cool storage addresses the problem of post-
harvest losses in fruits and vegetables and gives
farmers the storage and means for preservation
of graded, sorted and packaged produce.
Upcycling agricultural waste
Vast amounts of agricultural waste never make it
out of the field or off the farm. When assessing
the level of agricultural globally, a 2018 Brazilian
study found that crop residues, or plant waste left
in the field after harvest, total 5.5 billion tons.
Potential uses for this supposed waste include
organic fertilizer, soil enrichment, biofuel and
animal food, but innovators have begun upcycling
surplus agricultural matter.
For example, farmers of cacao, the plant that
forms the basis of chocolate bars, are generally
left with as much as 12 times too much biomass
from the process. Innovative farmers, researchers
and businesses have recognized the opportunity
in this supposed waste, and are transforming
it into products like beer, desserts, juice and
pharmaceutical nutrients.
Using innovation to improve yields
A lack of precise sorting can lead to unnecessary
food losses. To the human eye, a batch of
produce which has come out of the field may be
deemed as being of a poor quality – something
which may purely be based on the aesthetics. But
through adopting and implementing technology,
it can be determined that the crop is actually of
a good enough quality to be used either for its
intended purpose or for an alternative source.
This innovation can have a profound impact.
Taking the humble French fry as an example –
globally, French fry production is 21 million tons,
using 41 million potatoes in the process. Through
implementing efficient sorting technology, there
can be an increase in both yields and food
quality and bring the number of tons of potatoes
used closer to the number of tons of French fries
produced, thus reducing waste.
The improvement in yield enhancing technology is
not simply about ensuring that food can be used
for its initial purpose, but also identifying alternative
uses for produce that might otherwise have been
discarded and lessening waste.
Developments in technologies, such as a
360-degree surround view of the produce for
optimal inspection, combined with innovative
detection and rejection technology, result in more
valid decisions about the quality of the product.
This technological progress not only improves the
quantity of available food, but it also maintains the
high levels of quality expected by consumers who are
increasingly interested in what they are purchasing.
Technology can be a catalyst for change
With the United Nations aiming to reduce waste
per capita by 50 per cent by 2030, action needs
to be taken to help make reaching this target
achievable.
There is a great opportunity for businesses and
society as a whole to make a great contribution
towards the reduction of food waste and loss
through technology.
As a leading manufacturer of sensor-based food
sorting systems, TOMRA Sorting Food is acutely
aware of the food waste issue and works closely
with farmers, processors and retailers to reduce
food waste, optimize yields and maximise profits.
Our experience around the world highlights the
need to increase the emphasis on preventing
‘good’ products being removed from the food
supply chain and unnecessarily wasted, caused
at large by inefficient systems.
TOMRA is committed to
continuously developing sorting and
grading systems to sustainably keep
food in our supply chains and out of
the waste heap.
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