Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
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findings and their general fit with the on–farm production and harvesting loss estimates
provided by the FAO Global Food Losses and Food Waste report (Gustavsson et al., 2011; SIK
(2013), an estimate of the amount of total economic losses can easily be expected to be US$ tens
of billions per year.
Many of these on-farm losses can be reduced by making simple changes in traditional practices.
It is especially important to provide training on proper harvest timing, signs of crop maturity
and harvesting practices, since the quantity and quality of foods often will be determined at the
point that they are harvested. In addition, improved seeds, starting materials and cultivation
practices would go greatly mitigate on-farm losses. Specific practices include:
 Use of high quality seeds with evaluated post-harvest quality as many breeders do not
evaluate harvest and post-harvest quality.
 Use of high quality chicks, shrimp fry or fish eggs/fingerlings.
 Use of good, quality feeds with appropriate dosages of fertilizers and feeds.
 Integrated pest management and biocontrol.
Finally, there are specific harvesting and handling practices that could be improved, including:
 Use of maturity indices for fruits, vegetables, roots and tuber crops or optimum
moisture content for cereals, pulses and oilseeds to determine when to harvest.
 Gentle harvesting and handling on the farm as well as use of appropriate tools.
 Curing roots and tuber crops before sale and/or on-farm storage.
4.2 Consequences of On-Farm Losses in the OIC Member Countries
On-farm food losses can have long-reaching impacts on production, consumption, food security,
the environment, and food safety.
4.2.1 Effects on Production
Lost food translates to lost revenue for producers and wasted resources for smallholder farmers
who are already faced with limited land, time and money. It also results in increased pressures
on these farmers to try to produce more food. On-farm food losses can result in yield gaps due
to shortfalls in plant or animal nutrition, water management and pest management in the OIC
Member Countries. These gaps can be closed without having to put more land into production.
On-farm losses, if sorted and left on the field, can be sources of inoculum and diseases to the next
crop. A cycle of on-farm losses can be created, where each year the pests and diseases become
more prevalent and further reduce potential yields.
4.2.2. Effects on Use
The majority of food production in the OIC Member Countries is for domestic consumption
and/or for exports. When foods are produced for local consumption, lost food is lost calories and
lower nutrition for consumers. In Bangladesh alone, an estimated 7 million tonnes of rice valued
at $US 2.45 billion was lost on-farm in 2014 (Bala et al., 2010).).