Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
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6. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
The opportunity to reduce on-farm losses and recover some of the tens of billions of dollars
being lost by farmers in the OIC Member Countries can be a simple and straightforward
endeavor. Investing a small portion of these potential additional profits as seed money is what
is required by global leaders and policy makers in order to make enormous impacts on the lives
of smallholder farmers and rural communities.
The FAO identified many micro, meso and macro level causes of food losses and waste (HLPE
2014), and similar categories can be identified for the causes of on-farm losses occurring in the
OIC Member Countries.
Micro-level causes of on-farm losses result from actions or non-actions of individual actors of
the same food supply chain stage such as use of improved seeds, proper harvesting practices,
and gentle handling in response to external factors. Typically these factors are market prices
and consumer demand, which are closely related to the costs and benefits of making investments
or changes in on-farm practices. Connecting farmers with remunerative markets will also have
a profound effect on their food security.
Meso-level causes of on-farm losses include secondary or structural causes, such as those that
exists in other stages of the chain. Meso-level could include poor quality seeds, lack of fish fry
suppliers, and poor veterinary services or could result from how different actors are organized
together, different relationships along the food chain, availability of needed infrastructure, the
cost for electricity or fuel, and access to technical advice and extension support.
Macro-level causes of on-farm losses can be explained by systemic issues, such as a lack of
institutional or policy conditions to facilitate the coordination or support of food supply chain
actors like producer organizations, or for securing contracts to enable on-farm investments and
the adoption of good agricultural practices. Systemic causes include the lack of adequate
agricultural extension or financial services and set the stage for the emergence of all the other
causes of on-farm food losses, including meso and micro causes.
6.1. General Recommendations
Based on the CSAM process used for conducting the eight case studies, some general
recommendations can be made on the following three aspects of reducing on-farm losses.
 Research Needs: Technical issues appear to be well addressed, within available
resources. Global research institutes readily share their findings and solutions with
other potential users. A few serious on-farm loss problems in the OIC Member Countries
are under current study (Tuta absoluta in Egypt and SSA; aflatoxin prevention, detection
and management for cereals, pulses and oilseeds) and these will require additional
resources in coming years. Diagnostics and control of pests and diseases in fruits and