Post-Harvest Losses: A Major Obstruction to Agribusiness for Small Holders of Agriculture Sector in Developing Countries: The Case Study of Gujarat State in India and Tanga Region in Tanzania

Abstract

About one decade the world has been experiencing high prices of foodstuffs resulting from food shortage. Several factors have been repeatedly related to the source of such catastrophe. However, despite its long chain from farm to fork, postharvest losses (PHL) have been an often-forgotten factor. PHL has negative impacts to all individual stakeholders and governments from nutritional, monetary, economical, quality and quantity losses of farm produce. Approximately 30 to 50 percent of all food produced worldwide is lost before being consumed. Although most of the solutions to PHL are relatively simple, still, they are slowly adopted by respective countries and individual stakeholders due to weak focus on the problem. Post-harvest management system encompasses various activities from time of harvesting until the produce is consumed. It requires both financial and technical dedications respectively for best outcomes. To reduced and/or avoided PHL collaborative stakeholders’ efforts led by respective governments is a must. We need systematic storages with adequate capacity and all allied facilities in rural areas for storing and processing farm produce while imparting relevant skills on crop harvest timing, cleaning and drying to small and medium stakeholders for value additional and prospered agribusiness.