WELCOME TO THE POSTHARVEST EDUCATION FOUNDATION
An estimated 500 million small farmers produce 80% of the world's food. Many of these small farmers live with the threat of hunger and poverty and rely on land, water and labour resources that are expensive and becoming more limited each year. Yet over 40% of the food these farmers produce is never consumed (Lipinski et al 2013)-- it is lost during the harvest, postharvest handling, in storage and/or on the journey from the farms to the markets. Rockefeller Foundation Africa estimates that in Sub-Saharan Africa, 50% of fruits and vegetables are lost; 40% of roots and tubers and 20% of cereals. UN FAO estimates similar levels of losses in developing countries in Asia. Many low costs, simple to use technologies have been identified and have been described in manuals, books and research papers, but a missing element is intensive informal education for local postharvest specialists and extension workers who are needed to train smallholder farmers, traders, processors and marketers in their rural communities. PEF in a non-profit organization, created in 2011 to provide just this kind of education. We focus on practical and cost-effective ideas, tools and demonstrations, on best practices for postharvest handling, improved packaging technologies, innovative storage methods, simple processing practices and marketing options and systems that postharvest specialists will teach in local languages and provide practical advice to assist smallholder farmers and small food businesses to reduce food losses.
The Postharvest Education Foundation’s mission is to provide innovative programs that motivate and empower people to reduce food losses and waste. The Postharvest Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity (US FEIN # 45-1240017). We are also registered in the states of Oregon and California, and due to regulatory issues, we cannot solicit funds from donors residing in New Jersey. Continue reading here.
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| POSTHARVEST FOOD LOSS OR FOOD WASTE? Recently issues of global food losses and food waste have been making the news. Global food losses and waste vary widely depending upon the type of food, and can occur on the farm, and during postharvest handling, food processing, storage, distribution and consumption (Gustavsson et al in FAO 2011). The PEF works to address both postharvest food losses and food waste. Read More. |
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THE PEF GLOBAL POSTHARVEST E-LEARNING PROGRAM is a year-long mentor-guided training program where you can learn at your own pace. Each participant can select their own crops of interest and conduct their assignments (readings, fieldwork and written reports) on the topics that they want most to learn more about. A free e-learning manual is available here for download. Click here to learn more: e-learning program manual!
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!! FREE DOWNLOAD!! - 100 under $100: Tools for reducing postharvest losses
ADMI Postharvest Investment Tool (Click the image for details)
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