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Food Waste and Food Loss: a BIG Horticulture Concern in Africa. Dr Stephen Mbithi CEO: FPEAK- Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya Coordinating CEO: HCA- Horticulture Council of Africa Chiefexecutive@fpeak.org www.fpeak.org +254722716956.
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Food Waste and Food Loss:a BIG Horticulture Concern in Africa Dr Stephen Mbithi CEO: FPEAK- Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya Coordinating CEO: HCA- Horticulture Council of Africa Chiefexecutive@fpeak.orgwww.fpeak.org +254722716956 CTA – Brussels Briefing on Food Waste and Food Loss – 26 June 2012
Food Waste and Food Loss:a BIG issue in fresh produce • Food waste and food insecurity…rarely go together • Hence …agreed – in Africa fresh produce, its more food loss (unintended) that food waste (intended) • In rural Africa with food security challenges and lack of refrigeration, fresh produce purchase is rationed into small units. • fresh produce waste in developed countries • A concern for Africa: • Factored into supermarket pricing mechanism…leading to poor prices for the farmer • A less waste would be good for farmers- higher price, less land farmed, less resources used
Fresh produce loss..3 scenarios • Some figures: Fresh Produce in Kenya: • Volumes- Production: • Domestic – 3.8mil MT- about 25% lost • Export: 430,000MT (2011) – about 5% lost • The tomato/leafy veg scenario • Succulent/perishable and domestically marketed • Limited to 50-100km marketing radius • Poor infrastructure, lack of cold preservation • Highest post harvest (40-50) loss before reaching consumer. • Solutions: Infrastructure and Market efficiency
The bean..export oriented veg • Organized production, transportation and grading systems • Export rejections –about 25% • Easily bulked and sold for alternative markets or use, including cattle fodder. • Export horticulture is supporting vibrant urban dairy keeping around Nairobi-Kenya • Limited actual loss – less than 10% • Policy considerations • Impact of market efficiency combined with logistics consolidation on food loss • Deliberate development of alternative markets for export oriented produce
Onion- shelf stable produce • Grown and marketed mainly locally • Loss limited – less than 5% • Main reason- shelf stable produce, requiring no refrigeration at rural households • Marketed over longer distances than many fresh produce • Policy consideration: • More emphasis on production of shelf stable produce in remote and resource challenged rural populations? Planned Trade?
The mango…recovering from loss • Rotting mangoes under trees in Kenya vanishing…. • High demand from processors • Impact of value addition into shelf –stable products • In the past.. Some 30% of the 600,000MT production was lost • Estimates in 2011 are 10% post harvest loss • Demand for mango juice domestic market high..encouraging imports • Policy Consideration: • The SUSTAINABLE role of value addition/technology on post harvest loss
In conclusion… • Fresh produce…. • Make them more expensive to stem food waste? • Consumer..? Price some farmers out? • Define/limit production or trade distances/areas for highly perishables • Aggressively find alternatives for export fresh produce? • Split volumes • Process…value add? • And lose fresh? Thank You Dr Stephen Mbithi chiefexecutive@fpeak.org or stephen-mwikya@yahoo.com