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Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste

Publications

Edible aroids | Post-harvest operations
28/08/2003

Edible aroids are root crops grown widely in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Taro also known as cocoyam and tannia are the more common species. World taro production in 2008 was over 11 million tonnes principally in Cameroon, China, Ghana and Nigeria, with smaller production in other areas of Africa, Asia and South Pacific (FAOSTAT).

Barley: Post-Harvest Operations
15/06/2003

Barley is grown in about 70 million hectares in the world. Global production is 160 million tons. Developing countries accounts for about 18 % (26 million tons) of total barley production and 25 % (18.5 million hectares) of the total harvested area in the world.

Soybean: Post-Harvest Operations
06/07/2002

Soybean is a useful oil and protein source and can be used to improve the nutritional value of traditional foods. The beans are processed to give soy flour, meal or milk products and the oil can be extracted leaving a meal which is used for animal feed.

Groundnut | Post-harvest operations
07/06/2002

Groundnut is rich in oil and protein and has a high-energy value. The largest producers are China, India, Nigeria and the United States of America, but many other African and South American countries also have sizeable production. Groundnut provides high-quality cooking oil and is an important source of protein for both human and animal diets.

Mango: Post-Harvest Operations
02/06/2002

Mango is an important fruit for inhabitants of the tropics, with India being the largest producer. The trees require a frost-free tropical or sub-tropical climate, are 10 to 40 m in height and evergreen. The fruit is produced seasonally and eaten fresh or used in various recipes. In recent years, mangoes have become well established as fresh fruit and processed products in the global market.

Maize: Post-harvest Operations
15/05/2002

Maize is widely grown throughout the world and has the highest production of all the cereals with 817 million tonnes being produced in 2009 (FAOSTAT). It is an important food staple in many countries, as well as being used in animal feed and many industrial applications. The crop has tremendous genetic variability, which enables it to thrive in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates.

Status of the postharvest sector and its contribution to agricultural development and economic growth
Status of the postharvest sector and its contribution to agricultural development and economic growth
01/01/2002

JIRCAS international symposium series  Abstract: The past 35 years have witnessed an evolution of priorities within the postharvest sector of developing countries-from a primarily technical focus geared toward the reduction of losses, to a more holistic approach designed to link on-farm activities to processing, marketing and distribution. Despite this evolution in trends,...

Potato | Post-harvest operations
17/05/2001

Potato is an important staple food world-wide, claiming fourth place after maize, rice and wheat. It is a good carbohydrate source in addition to other nutritional benefits. Potatoes are cooked before consumption which reduces the presence of the toxic alkaloid solanine. Developing countries now produce approximately one third of world production, which was 314 million tonnes in 2008 (FAOSTAT).

Teff: Post-Harvest Operations
14/05/2001

Teff is a staple crop in Eritrea and Ethiopia where it is a native annual grass species but is not widely known around the world. The very small seeds are cooked or fermented and have good nutritional content. The plant is very adaptable to different conditions but is day length sensitive, requiring 12 hours of daylight to flower.

Millet: Post-harvest operations
04/05/2001

Millet is a collective term referring to a number of small-seeded annual grasses that are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas of temperate, sub-tropical and tropical regions. It is regarded as a subsistence grain grown for food and animal fodder. The largest production is in India and Nigeria. Total world production in 2007 was 31 million tonnes (FAOSTAT).